A criação de estratégias de apoio assume importância fundamental na perspectiva do cuidado humanizado à mãe e família nas unidades neonatais. Assim sendo, o presente estudo tem como objetivos descrever a experiência de implantação de um Grupo de Apoio à Mãe Acompanhante (GAMA) em um hospital amigo da criança de Recife/PE, identificar o significado de ser mãe acompanhante e analisar os significados atribuídos à vivência no GAMA. Utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa no delineamento de uma pesquisa-ação. O estudo foi realizado na Unidade de Internação Neonatal (UIN) do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) na cidade de Recife/PE. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio da observação e de entrevistas gravadas com 16 mães acompanhantes que participaram de cinco ou mais reuniões, sendo direcionada por duas questões norteadoras. As falas foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo, modalidade da análise temática. O projeto foi implantado pela pesquisadora congregando uma equipe multiprofissional e alunos de graduação de enfermagem, biologia e comunicação social da UFPE. No período de março a dezembro de 2003, participaram das atividades do GAMA 105 sujeitos, entre mães, pais, avós, irmãos, primos e cunhados. Da análise das entrevistas emergiram duas categorias com seus respectivos temas: 1. O ser mãe acompanhante do filho prematuro e de baixo peso ao nascer: o sofrimento pela separação da família e o apoio recebido; o alojamento materno como prisão; não admitindo a possibilidade de alta sem o filho; o alojamento materno enquanto espaço de novas amizades, aconselhamentos e conflitos; 2. A vivência materna no GAMA: a estratégia da escuta como terapia; o hospital como espaço para o riso e a descontração; a aquisição de força e o estabelecimento de vínculos afetivos. Considera-se que estratégias de apoio através da escuta e de atividades de lazer podem e devem ser acessadas pelos profissionais na prática clínica, consolidando uma concepção ampliada do fazer saúde no contexto hospitalar / The creation of support strategies becomes fundamentally important from the perspective of humanized care to mothers and families at neonatal units. Thus, this study aims to report on the experience of implanting a support group to bedside accompanying mothers (GAMA) at a child-friendly hospital in Recife/PE, identify the meanings of being a bedside accompanying mother and analize the meanings of group experience. A qualitative approach was used to outline an action research. The study was carried out at the Neonatal Care Unit (UIN) of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) Hospital das Clínicas in Recife/PE, Brazil. Data were collected through observation and interviews with 16 bedside accompanying mothers who participated in five or more meetings, which were guided by two questions and recorded. Discourse was submitted to content analysis, which is a mode of thematic analysis. The project was implanted by the researcher, joining a multiprofessional team and undergraduate nursing, biology and social communication students from UFPE. 105 subjects participated in GAMA activities between March and December 2003, including mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces. The analysis of these interviews gave rise to two categories and their respective themes: 1. Being a bedside accompanying mother of a premature child and low birth weight: suffering caused by separation from the family and support received; the mother’s room as a prison; not allowing for the possibility of discharge without the child; the mother’s room as a space for new friendship, advice and conflicts; 2. The maternal experience in GAMA: the listening strategy as a therapy; the hospital as a space for laughing and relaxing; getting strength and establishing affective bonds. Clinical professionals can and must make use of support strategies through listening and leisure activities, in a broader conception of doing health in the hospital context.

A criação de estratégias de apoio assume importância fundamental na perspectiva do cuidado humanizado à mãe e família nas unidades neonatais. Assim sendo, o presente estudo tem como objetivos descrever a experiência de implantação de um Grupo de Apoio à Mãe Acompanhante (GAMA) em um hospital amigo da criança de Recife/PE, identificar o significado de ser mãe acompanhante e analisar os significados atribuídos à vivência no GAMA. Utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa no delineamento de uma pesquisa-ação. O estudo foi realizado na Unidade de Internação Neonatal (UIN) do Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) na cidade de Recife/PE. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio da observação e de entrevistas gravadas com 16 mães acompanhantes que participaram de cinco ou mais reuniões, sendo direcionada por duas questões norteadoras. As falas foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo, modalidade da análise temática. O projeto foi implantado pela pesquisadora congregando uma equipe multiprofissional e alunos de graduação de enfermagem, biologia e comunicação social da UFPE. No período de março a dezembro de 2003, participaram das atividades do GAMA 105 sujeitos, entre mães, pais, avós, irmãos, primos e cunhados. Da análise das entrevistas emergiram duas categorias com seus respectivos temas: 1. O ser mãe acompanhante do filho prematuro e de baixo peso ao nascer: o sofrimento pela separação da família e o apoio recebido; o alojamento materno como prisão; não admitindo a possibilidade de alta sem o filho; o alojamento materno enquanto espaço de novas amizades, aconselhamentos e conflitos; 2. A vivência materna no GAMA: a estratégia da escuta como terapia; o hospital como espaço para o riso e a descontração; a aquisição de força e o estabelecimento de vínculos afetivos. Considera-se que estratégias de apoio através da escuta e de atividades de lazer podem e devem ser acessadas pelos profissionais na prática clínica, consolidando uma concepção ampliada do fazer saúde no contexto hospitalar / The creation of support strategies becomes fundamentally important from the perspective of humanized care to mothers and families at neonatal units. Thus, this study aims to report on the experience of implanting a support group to bedside accompanying mothers (GAMA) at a child-friendly hospital in Recife/PE, identify the meanings of being a bedside accompanying mother and analize the meanings of group experience. A qualitative approach was used to outline an action research. The study was carried out at the Neonatal Care Unit (UIN) of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) Hospital das Clínicas in Recife/PE, Brazil. Data were collected through observation and interviews with 16 bedside accompanying mothers who participated in five or more meetings, which were guided by two questions and recorded. Discourse was submitted to content analysis, which is a mode of thematic analysis. The project was implanted by the researcher, joining a multiprofessional team and undergraduate nursing, biology and social communication students from UFPE. 105 subjects participated in GAMA activities between March and December 2003, including mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces. The analysis of these interviews gave rise to two categories and their respective themes: 1. Being a bedside accompanying mother of a premature child and low birth weight: suffering caused by separation from the family and support received; the mother’s room as a prison; not allowing for the possibility of discharge without the child; the mother’s room as a space for new friendship, advice and conflicts; 2. The maternal experience in GAMA: the listening strategy as a therapy; the hospital as a space for laughing and relaxing; getting strength and establishing affective bonds. Clinical professionals can and must make use of support strategies through listening and leisure activities, in a broader conception of doing health in the hospital context.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to document and analyze the perceptions of family caregivers of non-institutionalized Alzheimer's patients about the benefits and limitations of Alzheimer's support groups. Survey methodology was used to survey caregivers and support group leaders from eight Alzheimer's support groups in the central Indiana area. Several of the major findings challenge the literature. These findings are as follows: The majority of caregivers attended the support group to receive information. None of the caregivers attended the support group due to frustration, and only one caregiver responded that relieving frustration was a benefit of participating in the support group. A majority of caregivers and support group leaders were positive about mixed (spouses and adult children) support groups. A majority of caregivers responded that they did not have guilt, anger, fears about caregiving in the future, or stress concerning their caregiving responsibilities. The study generated several implications that can be used by planners to improve support groups. / Department of Educational Leadership

Der Umgang mit internetbasierten Technologien und der Zugang zu Informationen aus dem World Wide Web sind heute für den Großteil der Bevölkerung in Europa selbstverständlich. Besondere Nutzergruppen, wie z.B. blinde, sehbehinderte oder gehörlose Menschen, werden bei der Konzeption und Realisierung eines Internetportals selten berücksichtigt oder einbezogen, so dass diese einen erschwerten Zugang und Barrieren im Umgang mit den Informationen erleben. Das entwickelte Portal für die „Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Hilfe für Behinderte Sachsen e.V.“ (LAGH) soll die Gestaltung eines aktiven und selbstbestimmten Lebens von Menschen mit Behinderungen unterstützen, zur Ausprägung der Solidarität und bürgerschaftlichen Engagements sowie zur Wissenserweiterung und Weiterbildung beitragen [LAGH 05]. Diese Ziele können nur durch eine weitgehend barrierefreie Gestaltung, den Einsatz neuer Softwarelösungen und mit inhaltlich, didaktisch und gestalterisch an den Nutzerkreis optimal angepassten Angeboten erreicht werden. Um ein umfassendes, modernes und für alle gleichermaßen nutzbares Internetportal zu entwickeln, liegen besondere Herausforderungen in der Gestaltung, technischen Realisierung und Evaluation, welche im vorliegenden Beitrag aufgezeigt werden.

The introduction of newborn screening for hearing has refocussed attention on the information and support needs of families with deaf children. The Internet is providing an additional resource for families to access timely and relevant information and advice. However, the experiences and attributes of parents of deaf children who search the Internet for information and support remain largely anecdotal. This study aims to bridge some of this knowledge gap. Parents of deaf children were recruited to complete two online surveys. The Parent Survey sought to establish the demographic details and Internet use patterns of parents who use the Internet to search for information about deafness. The online Support Group Survey asked parents about their experience of participating in online support groups. One hundred and sixty-three respondents completed the Parent Survey. Analysis of the data found Internet use is unrelated to the age of the parent, the age of their child, where they live or their employment status. Their use of the Internet is also unrelated to the type of hearing loss of their child, if their child has a cochlear implant or an additional disability or medical condition, or the method of communication used by the child. Education level of the parent, however, does influence the level of Internet use. Qualitative data indicates the need for unbiased information that is evidence-based on a range of issues that are important for families to make informed decisions regarding raising a deaf child. Twenty parents responded to the Online Support Group Survey. They participate in online support groups for the wealth of information and the support and understanding they receive from other parents. All respondents would recommend an online support group to other parents. The respondents indicated that the benefits significantly outweighed the limitations. The two major issues this study has highlighted is the need for parents of deaf children to receive unbiased and evidence-based information from a variety of sources, including the Internet and online support groups, and the need to ensure that parents have access to timely and reliable information irrespective of education level, socio-economic status and ethnicity. This study provides a foundation of knowledge for service providers and hearing professionals developing Internet resources for parents of deaf children in Australia.

This dissertation examines the participation of women and NGOs in a rural development and empowerment project in India. The World Bank initiated Rural Women’s Development and Empowerment Project was funded with the primary objective of working towards women’s economic and social empowerment through the formation of self-help groups. Within the framework of Gender and Development (GAD), women’s development and participation has to fulfil both practical and strategic gender needs in order for them to gain, share and exercise power. In women’s development, the economic cannot be understood apart from the social and the political. Transformative or genuine participation for women involves a process of partnership where one or more forms of power are attained through social capital and the participants are able to surmount structural barriers. Genuine participation can be achieved only through the processes of partnership and control, that is, through the building of equitable relationships among the primary beneficiaries themselves and between the primary beneficiaries and external agents. The incentives to participate and the pattern of participation are influenced by the material expectations and the social reality of women. (For complete abstract open document)

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 65-69).

The prevalence of rape in South Africa is widespread and survivors often experience severe posttraumatic stress and shame. Although secondary traumatic stress (STS) is a risk for everyone who works with primary survivors of trauma it has only been examined in a variety of professionals that provide supportive and clinical services to traumatised populations. Little is known about the impact that this experience has on the friends and family members that support these survivors. In some cases, supporters have to find a way to cope with significant distress associated with witnessing posttraumatic stress in a loved one. This begs the question of how their perceived ability to cope would influence their experience of STS. However, no studies exist that explore the dynamics between severity of posttraumatic stress in rape survivors and secondary traumatic stress and coping self-efficacy in their supporters. For this quantitative study, 23 rape survivors from a local non-governmental organisation completed the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire-Revised (HTQ-R). The 28 informal supporters that were identified, completed the Traumatic Attachment Belief Scale (TABS) and the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSE). Cross-group equivalence, the presence of the outlined factors in the sample, as well as the interaction between factors, are explored and described. Findings indicate that although the survivors endorsed some symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, their scores were not elevated enough to meet the cut-off point for this diagnosis. Findings related to the supporters indicate that the sample experienced average to high average levels of secondary traumatisation. Despite this, the subjects experienced adequate levels of coping self-efficacy. These findings indicate a need to provide more counselling resources to informal supporters in order to alleviate their secondary traumatisation and in turn increase their ability to assist primary rape survivors.

An HIV-positive diagnosis can be an overwhelming and traumatic experience. This study explores the experiences of receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis. Employing an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a sample of the initial posts from threads on an online forum, was collected and explored, in order to determine the dominant themes from the experiences expressed in the posts, as well as the support sought from the forum. The online forum was accessed as an unobtrusive observer, and posts from January to December 2015 were explored. The online forum provides a platform for disclosure following an HIV-positive diagnosis, when anxiety and fear of stigma can impact on an individual’s ability to disclose to their social support network of family and friends. The experiences expressed on the online forum reflect the emotional, mental and physical impact of an HIV-positive diagnosis on an individual. The findings in this study reflected themes of shock, guilt and hopelessness, and concerns and fears regarding disclosure and stigma associated with HIV, as well as the importance of social support for the coping mechanisms of individuals after receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis. This research demonstrates the importance of Internet accessibility for information and support for chronic illnesses, such as HIV, and the role of the online forum platform for providing a safe environment for individuals recently diagnosed HIVpositive.

This study addresses the importance of studies of human psychoneuroimmunology in understanding the role of psychological factors in cancer. Research trends in psychosocial aspects of cancer are reviewed, exploring the role of distress and the support group as an intervention which potentially reduces distress through enhancing interpersonal relationships, emotional adjustment and communication with health professionals, in these ways helping the patient to cope with the symptoms of treatment. In South Africa, most hospitals which treat cancer patients medically do not simultaneously have support groups for the newly diagnosed patient to join in order to discuss immediate fears and acquire more knowledge about their particular disease. Following an experimental cancer support group involving patients who had recently undergone a bone marrow transplant (some considerable time after their first cancer diagnosis) in Cape Town's Groote Schuur Hospital, the researcher, as one of the participants in the fortnightly meetings convened to dicuss psychosocial issues related to each patient's experience of the cancer and transplant process, transferred the themes, concepts and questions that arose in that scenario, to a cancer clinic in Pretoria where recently diagnosed patients were asked to volunteer to participate in such a group. It was felt that these patients would derive some benefit early in their treatment programme. Psychosocial concerns are left to the individual patient to seek therapy should it be required. Presently, it is reported in the body of knowledge about cancer, that interventions aimed at alleviating the psychosocial distress of cancer patients highlight hypnosis, guided imagery and relaxation therapy. It is contended that a more appropriate intervention for the majority of people with cancer in South Africa would entail a fellow-patient support group meeting on a regular basis. / Psychology / (M.A. (Psychology)