Introdução: A depressão está entre as principais causas de incapacidade nas mulheres, sendo a idade fértil o período com maior prevalência de episódios depressivos. Os transtornos mentais do pós-parto afetam mulheres de forma ampliada e, nesse período, o que mais acontece são as: disforias (chamadas de melancolias), as depressões pós-parto e as psicoses puerperais. Apesar de sua importância e dos avanços instituídos na atenção à saúde da mulher no Brasil, ainda existem poucos estudos a respeito de sua prevalência. Objetivos: Caracterizar a prevalência da depressão pós-parto das mulheres do município de Itapecerica da Serra com o uso da escala de depressão pós-parto de Edimburgo (EPDS); Identificar fatores sociais, econômicos, familiares e de acesso ao serviço de saúde associados à ocorrência de DPP. Método: Trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico de caráter descritivo e transversal que analisou os fatores de risco associados a ocorrência do fenômeno, com o uso da EPDS, considerando-se a DPP se atingida a pontuação 12, e um formulário de caracterização socioeconômica e familiar da puérpera, elaborado pela própria pesquisadora. Participaram da pesquisa 168 puérperas (entre 10 e 60 dias, após o parto) entrevistadas nas UBS(s), em suas residências e em uma clínica privada no município do estudo. O cálculo amostral baseou-se na estimativa da prevalência de 30% de DPP, com nível de significância de 0,05 a 5% e erro absoluto de mais ou menos 7% ou 6%. Para a análise estatística, utilizou-se o programa Bio Estatístico 5.0, aplicando-se o Teste de Mann Whitney, para comparar as tendências centrais de duas amostras independentes (primíparas e multíparas) e o Teste do Qui-quadrado para estudar a dependência entre as duas variáveis, por meio de tabelas de contingência. O nível de significância foi fixado em 0,05 visando-se obter um resultado de relevância para o objeto do estudo. Resultados: A DPP teve uma prevalência de 43,4 % incidindo em 30 (17,8%) mulheres primíparas e 43 (25,6%) das multíparas com DPP. Na amostra, prevaleceram as seguintes características entre as puérperas com DPP: faixa etária entre 19 e 35 anos de idade, sendo (74,4%), na escolaridade salientou-se o ensino médio (48,8%), a renda familiar foi de 1 a 3 salários-mínimos com proporção de 55,9%, ocupação dona de casa (49,4%), cor da pele branca (48,2%), religião católica (47%), sexo do bebê oposto ao esperado (53,5%), com histórico de problemas hormonais (69,04%), cansaço físico no período puerperal (31,5%) e sem suporte familiar na volta da maternidade (22%). Conclusões: O estudo permitiu identificar as prevalências com possibilidades de aprimorar a assistência. Ao se pensar em uma assistência com qualidade, o suporte emocional e a identificação precoce de uma possível DPP tornam mais eficientes o trabalho. Com os dados obtidos, percebeu-se a necessidade de ampliar a dimensão do cuidado, sobretudo, na atuação direta do puerpério das mulheres que já realizaram o pré-natal, trazendo-lhes uma assistência mais segura, evitando, assim um aspecto da morbidade materna que interfere fortemente no desenvolvimento infantil / Introduction: Depression is among the leading causes of disability in women, the childbearing period with a higher prevalence of depressive episodes. Mental disorders affect postpartum women in a wider sense, and in that period what else happens are: disphorias calls (melancholy), postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Despite its importance and the advances introduced in the health care of women in Brazil, there are few studies about its prevalence. Objectives:To characterize the prevalence of postpartum depression women in the municipality of Serra Itapecerica using the scale of the Edinburgh postpartum (EPDS) depression; Identify social , economic , family, and access to health service factors associated with occurrence of PPD. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological character study that examined the risk factors associated with the occurrence of the phenomenon , using the EPDS , considering the DPP is achieved scores 12 , and a form of socioeconomic characterization familial puerperal prepared by the researcher . The study gathered 168 women (between 10 and 60 days after birth) interviewed in UBS (s) in their homes and in a private clinic in the city of study. The sample size calculation was based on the estimated prevalence of 30 % of PPD , with a significance level of 0.05 to 5 % and absolute error of plus or minus (7% or 6%), thus estimating the following sample size. For statistical analysis, we used the Statistical Bio 5.0, applying the Mann Whitney test to compare the central tendencies of two independent samples (primiparous and multiparous) and Chi-square test to study the dependence between the two variables by means of contingency tables. The significance level was set at 0.05 aiming to obtain a result relevant to the object of study. Results: The DPP had a prevalence of 43.4% focusing on 30 (17.8%) and 43 primiparous women (25.6%) of multiparous with DPP. In the sample, the following characteristics prevailed among the mothers with PPD: age between 19 and 35 years of age, being (74.4%), in education stressed out high school (48.8%), family income was 1-3 minimum wages and ratio of 55.9%, ocupassion housewives (49.4%), were white (48.2), Catholics (47%), the sex opposite to that expected (53.5%) baby with hormonal problems (69.04%), physical fatigue in the postpartum period (31.5%) and no family support in the back maternity (22%). Conclusions: This study identified the prevalence with possibilities of improving care. When you think of quality care, emotional support and early identification of possible DPP become more efficient work. With the data obtained, we realized the need to expand the dimension of care, especially in the direct performance of postpartum women who have already performed prenatal bringing them safer care, thus avoiding an aspect of maternal morbidity interfering heavily on child development.

O Papilomavírus humano (HPV) é um vírus, sexualmente transmissível, com potencialidade carcinogênica para a cérvice uterina, o que torna a infecção de mulheres pelo HPV um problema de saúde pública. Conhecer as necessidades de cuidado de mulheres infectadas pelo HPV inclui também saber suas experiências vividas durante o processo de infecção. A prevenção de doenças e a promoção de saúde ainda estão determinadas por concepções tradicionais da prática médica. É necessário pensar em um cuidado que vá além das necessidades físicas, emocionais e sociais que considere o sujeito com base em seu modo de ser no mundo e que valorize suas experiências, juntamente com suas crenças e valores. O objetivo deste estudo foi compreender a vivência das mulheres infectadas pelo HPV e conhecer quais são suas necessidades de cuidado. Tratou-se de um estudo qualitativo, com referencial da Fenomenologia existencial de Martim Heidegger. Os sujeitos foram 14 mulheres que tinham recebido o diagnóstico de HPV. As questões norteadoras foram: Como é para você estar com HPV? Conte-me sua experiência desde que soube do diagnóstico até hoje. Como está sendo a assistência que você tem recebido? Como resultado, emergiram quatro unidades temáticas: ser-aí mulher com HPV; ser-com nas relações; buscando o cuidado como solicitude e o caminho de transcendência da mulher com HPV. O referencial utilizado possibilitou melhor apreensão dos significados de estar com HPV, assim como o compartilhamento da vivência dessas mulheres em seu cotidiano. Constatou-se a necessidade de implementar ações de promoção e prevenção à saúde, que devem ser executadas por profissionais capacitados e com um perfil adequado para atenção à mulher. As mulheres devem ser encorajadas a demonstrarem suas próprias necessidades de cuidado, e as questões culturais e de gênero devem ser consideradas. É preciso que os profissionais da área da saúde avancem no cuidado com as mulheres infectadas pelo HPV, superando o trabalho restrito à racionalidade das ciências biomédicas. A informação sobre o HPV deve ser compartilhada pelas mulheres, respeitando-se suas necessidades e seu nível de compreensão. É necessário um cuidado mais efetivo e afetivo, no qual as mulheres infectadas pelo HPV exerçam um papel ativo no processo do cuidado e as interações sejam verdadeiras. / The human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus, sexually transmittable, with potentiality carcinogenic for the uterine cervix, making women\'s infection by the HPV a problem for the public health. To know the necessities of care of women infected by the HPV includes also knowing their experiences during the process of infection. Diseases prevention and health promotion are still determined by traditional conceptions of medical practice. It is necessary to think about a care that goes besides the physical, emotional and social necessities, that considers the individual based on of her way of being in the world and considers her experiences, beliefs and values. The objective of this study was to understand the life experience of the women infected by the HPV and to know their necessities of care. This research have had a qualitative focus, with reference to the Existential Phenomenology by Martim Heidegger. Were subjected to this research 14 women HPV positive. The research was based on these questions: What does being HPV positive mean for you? Tell me the experience that you have had since you have known you were infected until today. How is the aid that you have been receiving? As result, four thematic topics surfaced: to be there a woman with HPV; to be a woman with HPV in relationships; looking for care as solicitude and the way of transcendence of the woman with HPV. The used referential made possible a better apprehension of the meanings of being with HPV, as well as the share of the existence of these women in their daily life. The necessity of implementing health promotion and prevention actions was noted, and these actions must be executed by enabled professionals with a profile adapted for attention to the woman. The women must be encouraged to demonstrating their necessities of care themselves and questions of culture and of gender must be considered. It is necessary that professionals of the health area keep advancing in the care of women infected by the HPV, surpassing the work limited to the rationality of biomedical sciences. The information on the HPV must be shared by the women, respecting their necessities and their level of understanding. It is necessary a more effective and affectionate care, in which the women infected by the HPV play an active part in the process of the care and the interactions are true.

D.Cur. / In South Africa, mood disorders, specifically depression, accounts for the most psychiatric related hospital admissions. The total cost (overt and hidden) of mood disorders that result from lost productivity, can be estimated at billions of rand per year. In addition to economic costs, depression can carry great personal costs because of the social stigma associated with the diagnosis and treatment of a 'mental illness'. This stigma likely plays a big role in women' reluctance to seek, accept and adhere to treatment. The potential savings to be derived from the appropriate treatment of women suffering from depression are socially and economically significant. The focus in this thesis has been on women suffering from depression as it is estimated that at least twenty five percent of women will suffer from a major depressive episode in their life. Based on the problem statement that was included in this thesis, the researcher asked the following questions: 'What is the phenomena that constitutes the restoration process of women suffering from depression? Which processes contribute to the restoration process of women suffering from depression and facilitate these women's quest for mental health as an integral part of wholeness? How can an approach to provide quality care to women suffering from depression be described?" The primary purpose of this thesis was thus to explore and describe the processes contributing to the restoration process of women suffering from depression, in order to develop a mental health nursing approach that will provide quality care to women suffering from depression in their continuous quest for mental health. The psychiatric nurse specialist then developed and described guidelines to operationalise the approach that contributes to quality care of women suffering from depression in mental health nursing. The paradigmatic basis of this study was based on the Nursing for the Whole Person Theory (Oral Roberts University, Anna Vaughn School of Nursing, 1990:136-142) as used by the Rand Afrikaans University. This theory is based on a Judea-Christian philosophy.

M.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing) / In an airways community, an external factor is the fact that the men are absent from home for long periods, especially the international pilots. The result is that the wives have to take charge of the household. There is an interaction between the wives' internal and external environments. Internal factors that can influence the wives' quest for wholeness and which stern from the above-mentioned statement, are : *The wife becomes isolated due to the fact that she has to rely on herself. * She has more responsibility, has a variety of roles to play, and is the central person in the family. * She experiences high stress levels and great demands are made on her, so that she has to resort to defence mechanisms such as aggression, isolation, rationalization, displacement and denial. An external factor that specifically influences the wife and family's quest for wholeness, is the limited resources that are available to them, especially in terms of her husband, friends and family because the airways community is a subculture on its own. While I was participating in an interpersonal skills course for the wives of international pilots presented at the Rand Afrikaans University, I noticed that the women showed suppressed aggression and that they used denial and rationalization as defence mechanisms. Labile emotions were also experienced by them. The fact that the husband as a help and source of support is not at home causes the wife to experience internal discomfort, and interferes with her quest for wholeness. The research question that originated from the above mentioned data was : "'What in the experiential world of wives of pilots can on the one hand cause them to be vulnerable to mental illness and thus interfere with their quest for wholeness, and on the other hand what 'can facilitate their quest for wholeness! The aim of this study is to explore and to describe the experiences of wives of pilots who undertake international flights, and to compile guidelines for enriching the mental health of couples of whom the husband is regularly absent.

D.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing Science) / The overall goal of this research study was to explore and describe strategies in order to promote the mental health of married couples throughout the ante- and postnatal period. The majority of research on the transition to parenthood has found that as couples become parents, there is a dramatic decrease in positive marital interchanges, a dramatic increase in marital conflict and a precipitous decline in marital satisfaction (Belsky & Kelly, 1994; Belsky & Pensky, 1988: 133-156; Belsky, Spanier & Rovine, 1983: 567-577). The transition to parenthood is viewed as instigating a shift in the marriage whereby most couples are expected to experience a qualitative change in their relationship that is relatively abrupt (Pancer, Pratt, Hunsberger & Gallant, 2000: 253-280). Becoming a new parent poses challenges for nearly every married couple (Curran, Hazen, Jacobvitz & Feldman, 2005: 189). Becoming a parent is a major developmental transition of adulthood (Harwood, McLean & Durkin, 2007: 1). Individuals often have optimistic expectations about parenthood, yet this transition also presents a number of challenges (Harwood et al, 2007: 1). The questions that arose was what are the stories of married couples throughout the ante- and postnatal period of their first child, and what can be done by an advanced psychiatric nursing practitioner to promote the mental health of married couples based on their story. The researcher utilised a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual study design as described in Babbie (2010: 92). This research study was carried out in four phases. During the first phase of this research study, the researcher explored and described the stories of married couples throughout the ante- and postnatal period of their first child according to the quest narrative method described by Frank (1997: 115). The results were discussed within relevant literature. iv In the second phase of this research study the researcher developed a conceptual framework on the basis of the empirical data. The conceptual framework was developed according to the concepts as proposed by Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968: 435). The researcher described strategies, to promote the mental health of married couples throughout the ante- and postnatal period of their first child, in the third phase of this research study. These strategies were described according to a relationship phase, a working phase and a termination phase as part of the facilitation process. These three phases were discussed as part of a proposed facilitation process that forms part of the developed conceptual framework. In the fourth phase of this research study, the developed strategies were subjected to expert assessment according to the criteria stated by Chinn and Kramer (2011: 196-205). The findings of the research study are applicable to psychiatric nursing practice, research and psychiatric nursing education.

An overview of recent literature indicates that mood and anxiety disorders are the most prevalent of all psychiatric disorders. Depression and anxiety are estimated to be two of the most important causes of disease burden in the world and appear to be more prevalent among women than men. A skewed distribution exists in mood and anxiety research with limited research being done into the area of gender, more specifically females with these disorders. The present study therefore intended to explore and describe the psychofortology of female psychiatric out-patients living with mood and anxiety disorders. An exploratory descriptive research design was used and participants were selected by means of non-probability purposive sampling. The sample consisted of 60 female psychiatric out-patients who were selected for inclusion based on predetermined inclusion criteria. Data were gathered through the administration of a biographical questionnaire, Hammer and Marting’s Coping Resources Inventory (CRI), Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29), Diener, Emmons, Larson and Griffin’s Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Kamman and Flett’s Affectometer-2 (AFM-2). These data were then analyzed according to the aims of the study by the use of descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and multivariate data analysis, namely, K-means cluster analysis. The results indicated that the female psychiatric out-patients with mood and anxiety disorders were generally experiencing lower levels of coping and subjective well-being. The results indicated three clusters which appeared to have no statistical or practical significance to each other. The first cluster could be characterized as being “of relatively high psychofortology” and patients in this cluster presented with better coping and subjective well-being. The patients in cluster two could be characterized as being “of relatively average psychofortology” and the third cluster as being “of relatively low psychofortology”. The third cluster was characterized by patients who were experiencing poorer levels of coping and subjective well-being.

The major purpose of the study was to examine mood fluctuations associated with phases of the menstrual cycle. To assess the relative impact of the menstrual cycle on moods, other cycles hypothesized to influence moods also were assessed. Mood fluctuations in women and men were studied both prospectively and retrospectively to determine whether cyclic changes occur with the phases of the menstrual cycle, lunar cycle, and/or days of the week. Each participant (15 women using oral contraceptives, 12 normally cycling women, and 15 men) recorded their moods daily for 70 days (prospective data). A daily mean score was obtained for both pleasantness and arousal (each on a 9-point positive to negative scale). Mood stability/variability was recorded daily on a 4-point scale. At the end of the study, participants recalled (retrospective data) their mood over the previous 2 months for each day of the week and the phases of their menstrual cycle (women only). The focus on menstrual cycles was sucessfully camouflaged. Prospectively, there were no group differences and no menstrually-related mood fluctuations. The retrospective reports, however, indicated systematic bias. Women recalled more positive moods in the follicular phase and more negative moods in the premenstrual and menstrual phases than they had reported prospectively. All groups reported weekday mood changes — Monday lows and Friday/Saturday highs. Recollections of weekday mood fluctuations were similar to but more exaggerated than prospective reports. Prospective reports revealed no mood fluctuations over the lunar cycle. Together, these results indicate that stereotypes (both well- and ill-founded) influence recollections of mood, and are consistent with schematic processing theories. The importance for menstrual cycle research of obtaining information about positive as well as negative experiences, camouflaging the purpose of the study, collecting prospective data, and assessing results in the contexts of other cycles also is discussed. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

This study examined the distinct effects of partner violence and psychological abuse on women's mental health over time. Latent growth modeling was used to examine stability and change over time, evaluating the course and consequences of each form of abuse. The size of women's social support network was examined as a mediator. The sample consisted of 835 African American, Euro-American, and Mexican American low-income women. Participants who completed Waves 1, 2, 3, and 5 were included in the study (n = 585). In general, partner violence decreased over time for all groups, while psychological abuse decreased over time for only Euro-American women. Whereas initial and prolonged exposure to psychological abuse was related to and directly impacted women's mental health, partner violence was only related to initial levels of mental health. Surprisingly, social support was only related to initial violence and distress and had no impact on the rate of change over time. These results have important implications for researchers and health care professionals. First, differences in the pattern of results were found for each ethnic group, reaffirming the notion that counselors and researchers must be sensitive to multicultural concerns in both assessment and intervention. For example, psychological abuse had a greater impact on the mental health of African American and Mexican American women than it did for Euro-American women, suggesting a shift in focus depending on the ethnicity of the client may be warranted. Second, this longitudinal study highlights the importance of future research to considerer individual differences in treating and studying victimized women. Understanding factors that contribute to individual trajectories will help counselors gain insight into the problem and in devising plans to prevent or reduce the occurrence and negative health impact of partner abuse.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive analysis of the problems presented by a specific group of women seeking out-patient mental health treatment and to relate these problems to the ontogenetic (age-related) developmental issues presented in a study of the literature. The researcher’s involvement in this area developed from interest in current literature on adult development, and a personal commitment to life-long growth and acceptance of the inherent changes. In order to investigate whether developmental issues exist for this group of women, and if so to describe them, two distinct age groups--the decades of the 20's and the 40's--were chosen as the focus of this study.