Partner Violence,Depression, and Recidivism: The Case of Incarcerated Women and Why We Need Programs Designed for Them

The number of women in prison in the United States has been growing rapidly over the last 30 years. A large percentage of the incarcerated women have been victimized by violent partners and family members. Some of these women have been forced with threats of violence by their abusers to participate in illegal activities. Most of the women have children and many of the women will never see their children while in prison. Incarcerated women who have experienced intimate partner violence are at risk for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. Recidivism for women prisoners is associated with depression. In spite of the cost of recidivism and the growing overcrowded conditions in women's prisons, there are no known studies in the literature that test the effectiveness of a gender-sensitive intervention to reduce depression in incarcerated women as a means of reducing recidivism. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the need for an effective cognitive therapy program that is designed specifically to reduce women's depression by raising awareness of inherited negative messages, affirmation of self and others, and empowerment through goal setting. The INSIGHT program is introduced as an example of a gender-sensitive program.     

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Examination of the Lived Experience of Incarceration for those with Autism

This study aimed to examine the lived experience of incarceration for those with autism using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Eight adults who were incarcerated in New South Wales, Australia, were interviewed. The lived experience of incarceration for the participants was about being in an unpredictable environment characterised by ever-changing routines and complex social situations. Participants were deprived of their ability to create predictability in their environment, and experienced confusion and distress when forced to comply with actions that were in conflict with their logic. Mental health nursing case management is recommended to address the needs of incarcerated persons with autism.     

Listening to Filipina Women: Perceptions,Responses and Needs Regarding Intimate Partner Violence

Interpersonal violence (IPV) is a complex issue effecting women worldwide. Reported rates of IPV vary widely from one cultural group to another (Magnussen et al., ; Tjaden & Thoennes, ). This paper presents a community based participatory research (CBPR) study of the perceptions, responses, and needs of Filipina women regarding IPV. Data was collected by using interviews and focus groups. The women believed that it was their responsibility to keep the family intact regardless of IPV and did not realize that IPV has a significant negative impact on the mental health and well-being of both women and their children. Immigrant Filipino women may be particularly at risk of IPV.     

‘Knowledge is power’: perceived needs and preferred services of male partners of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer

Purpose

The aim of this qualitative exploratory study was to assess the perceived needs and preferred services of male partners of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Methods

Twenty-seven male partners participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. An inductive analysis was used to identify the patterns, themes and categories from the data.

Results

A diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent treatment significantly affect the male partners of women diagnosed with this illness, creating ‘needs’ that require coping responses. To help them support their wife and family, they relied on their internal resources and informal sources of support. Many participants suggested that the health care system provides information addressing their needs to facilitate their role of caring for their wife. The findings did not support the clinical assumption that men would be interested in a men’s group focused on them and their needs.

Conclusions

The diagnosis of breast cancer significantly affected the male partners, creating the need for support services including information on a variety of topics. An information binder tailored specifically to their needs was the preferred method of facilitating their husbandly role and coping. Findings did not support the clinical assumption that men would be interested in a men’s group focused on them and their needs.     

A Systematic Review Exploring Racial Disparities,Social Determinants of Health,and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Black Women

ObjectiveTo explore and describe racial disparities, the role of social determinants of health, and individual risk behaviors among Black women as related to sexual health and/or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).Data SourcesElectronic resource databases used were PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed articles published during 2010 to 2020 were considered.Study SelectionThirty-two studies met the criteria and included data for a total of 18,904 Black women.Data ExtractionData were extracted from each study using the subheadings author (year), purpose, design, sample demographics and setting, key measures, key findings, and quality assessment. In addition, PRISMA-E and PROGRESS-Plus guided data extraction to illustrate health inequity.Data SynthesisBlack women who were more likely to report having an STI over the course of their lifetime engaged in behaviors associated with greater risk, the most common of which were unprotected sex, disproportionate partner power, and substance abuse. The primary social determinants of health associated with increased risk were lower income and lower levels of education. Black women were less likely to discuss or feel comfortable discussing their sexual health with health care providers. By contrast, engagement in safe sexual practices stemmed from internal, social, and relationship factors.ConclusionIdentifying Black women who are at risk of contracting an STI is essential in driving clinical decision-making. Health care providers should be cognizant of the long-standing mistrust that Black women have of health care providers and, therefore, work to establish positive respectful and trusting relationships with open communication.     

Characteristics Associated with the Risk of Unintended Pregnancy Among Urban Homeless Women: Use of the Shuler Nurse Practitioner Practice Model in Research

In this pilot study, family planning practices and risk for unintended pregnancy among 50 homeless women residing in the downtown area of Los Angeles were investigated through the retrospective analysis of data collected through a wholistic clinic intake questionnaire. Those women who were least likely to use a birth control method in this study were Black, used cocaine daily, had multiple sources of emotional support, were satisfied with their sex lives, and reported access problems to family planning services ( p ≤ .05). Furthermore, over half of the total sample was at risk for unintended pregnancy. These at risk women were more likely to be separated from their children ( p ≤ .05), report current ( p ≤ .05) and past ( p ≤ .01) drug problems, have multiple sex partners ( p ≤ .001), engage in prostitution ( p ≤ .01), have a past history of sexually transmitted diseases ( p ≤ .05), and were least likely to be satisfied with their sex lives ( p ≤ .05). The findings suggest that homeless women are in great need of family planning health services, and that such services should be combined with vocational, social service, and drug treatment programs.     

“I just don’t focus on my needs.” The unmet health needs of partner and offspring caregivers of people with dementia: A qualitative study

BackgroundFamily caregivers of people with dementia have significant unmet health needs. There is a lack of research that differentiates between the needs that are specifically relevant to partner and offspring caregivers.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the health needs of partner and offspring caregivers of older people with dementia, including the barriers they experience in meeting their needs.MethodSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 family caregivers of community-dwelling people with dementia. Of these, 12 were partner caregivers (4 men, 8 women) and 12 were offspring caregivers (2 men, 10 women). The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsFive themes were identified within the data. The first theme represents caregivers’ overall assessment and perception of their health needs. The remaining four themes represent the most important aspects of caregivers’ health needs; mental health, emotional support and social relationships, healthy diet and exercise, and personal time. While these themes were similar for offspring and partner caregivers, the specific needs and barriers within these areas were different. A prominent barrier for partner caregivers was that they had difficulty in acknowledging their needs. Despite this, partner caregivers demonstrated unmet emotional support needs, as they no longer had emotional support from their partner with dementia. They also had an unmet need for time away from the care-giving role, yet they were reluctant to leave the person with dementia. Offspring caregivers’ unmet health needs were easily identified and were focused on their unmet mental health needs and feeling socially isolated. These unmet mental health and social support needs were related to their unmet health needs in other areas such as exercise, diet and having time to themselves.ConclusionCaregivers have significant unmet needs and these are often complex, multidimensional, and they often differ between partner and offspring caregivers. Gaining a more detailed understanding of the needs and barriers that are particularly relevant to either partner or offspring caregivers will assist in the development of interventions that are tailored to the unique needs of caregivers.     

The interrelationship between violence, HIV/AIDS, and drug use in incarcerated women.

The purpose of this study was to examine how violence co-occurs with drug use and HIV/AIDS high-risk behaviors among women incarcerated for drug use. This study was a supplement to a larger, experimental study designed to reduce HIV/AIDS high-risk behaviors among incarcerated female drug users. The women who participated (N = 170) reported that violence was a major part of their lives and affected many of their behaviors. Among these 170 women, 26.6% used condoms for oral sex, 46.4% for vaginal intercourse, and 65% were either sexually or physically abused. Intimate partner abuse was reported by 33.9% of the women. About 16% reported forced sexual activity, and 17.5% feared their partners. Women who refused to give oral sex to their male partners and those who insisted on condom use during oral sex prior to jail were more likely to be sexually or physically abused (chi 2 = 4.104; chi 2 = 3.886, p < .05, respectively). Although statistically significant interrelationships were not found among the three variables, significant bivariate relationships were found between intimate violence and HIV/AIDS high-risk behaviors.     

Risk and Protective Factors for HIV Self-disclosure among Poor African-American Women Living with HIV/AIDS

African-American women with HIV are among the fastest growing populations with HIV. The psychosocial factors and beliefs/attitudes associated with disclosure and other un-safe sex practices are not fully understood in this population. A total of 158 HIV-positive women receiving primary care in an HIV clinic in Philadelphia who enrolled in a safe-sex intervention, completed a baseline questionnaire on their sexual activities with male partners and psychosocial factors that were potential protective/risk factors for unsafe sex. Women who were emotionally close and monogamous with their partner were most likely to disclose their HIV status and least likely to worry they had infected their partner. Women who were non-monogamous and who did not have an emotional connection to any of their partners were least likely to self-disclose. Partners were more likely to know each other's status when the woman felt she had a responsibility to talk about the importance of staying HIV-negative.     

The social construction of love and sexuality in a women's prison.

Incarcerated women have numerous physical, social, and emotional health care needs, including specific needs related to their expressions of sexuality while in prison. This report describes the results of a participatory action research study with incarcerated women utilizing critical hermeneutic data analysis techniques. While the public's view of sexuality between incarcerated women borders on the prurient and profane, this study suggests that women in prison continue to be sexual beings who come to "participate" in love and sex with one another based on their need for relationship and friendship. It is suggested that prison bureaucracies define women through a sexual lens, dually grounding their identities in the crimes they were sent to prison for and the perceived crimes of their sexuality. The need for nursing involvement and intervention with this marginalized and stigmatized population is discussed.     

Trauma-informed Care and the Research Literature: How Can the Mental Health Nurse Take the Lead to Support Women Who Have Survived Sexual Assault?

Many women who access mental health services have been subjected to violent acts, including childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual assault, often at the hands of family members and partners. The vulnerability of these women can be further complicated when health professionals lack sensitivity to the issues involved; and the treatment received by the women is insensitive, leading to experiences of re-traumatisation. This article considers the principles of trauma-informed care and practice, as represented in the literature; and explains how mental health nurses can lead the way in multidisciplinary environments to ensure that women who have experienced violence receive the most appropriate health care, and are thereby supported to attain the best possible outcome.     

Adaptaciones sexuales y sociales de las parejas masculinas indonesias de supervivientes de cáncer ginecológico

ObjectiveThis study explores the sexual and social adjustments of the partners of gynecological cancer survivors in Indonesia.MethodPhenomenological research interviewed seven male participants whose spouses sought gynecological cancer treatment at the Army Hospital in Jakarta from July to August 2020. The collected data were transcribed and thematically analyzed.ResultsThe male partners described their loss of sexual desire and intimacy. They indicated a constructed sexual and social adjustments, including having sexual distractions, alternative sexual activities, and performing extended roles in the family after their partner's diagnosis and treatment.ConclusionsThese research findings suggest that oncology and family nursing interventions should mitigate the gynecological cancer survivors and partners’ sexual and social distress to enhance the couple's relationship and well-being after a gynecological cancer diagnosis.     

Mental Health and Its Socio-Demographic Predictors in Male Partner of Iranian Infertile Couples

Infertility is considered a traumatic stressor for infertile couples. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the mental health status and its relationship with social support in 345 male partners of infertile couples. Scores on the mental health measure (GHQ-28) indicated that 41.2% of the men had mental problem. Social support from the family, cause of infertility, education, and adequacy of family income were predictors of the mental health in infertile men according to multivariate linear regression. Strengthening social support for improving mental health of infertile men seems necessary.     

Partnership Between a Health System and a Correctional Center to Normalize Birth for Incarcerated Women

Women of childbearing age make up a growing segment of the prison population; many are pregnant while incarcerated. The care this population has received during pregnancy often has been characterized by inattention to nutritional needs, failure to provide for safe sleeping in lower bunks, and lack of childbirth education. These women may be unprepared for childbirth and the early postpartum period. To improve care for these women, staff from a health system and a correctional center collaborated to develop an infrastructure that offered supportive care to incarcerated childbearing women in their community. Organizational policies and processes were aligned to promote a normal birth and early postpartum experience for incarcerated women and provide them with opportunities to bond with their newborns. Family-centered care offers incarcerated women the opportunity to be mothers rather than simply prisoners giving birth.     

INTERPERSONAL WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG MALE PARTNERS OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER

The focus of this investigation was on the mental health of men whose partners had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. In accord with theoretical models that specify the importance of interpersonal relationships in maintaining mental health, men's relationship satisfaction and perceptions of social support were predicted to be positively associated with their mental health during this stressful time. The sample included 63 male partners of women with breast cancer who participated in a three-wave panel study that assessed various indicators of mental health and interpersonal well being at T1, T1 + 6 weeks, and T1 + 10 weeks. Results indicated substantial distress in at least 25% of the men. However this distress subsided over time. Relationship satisfaction was both concurrently and prospectively associated with better mental health. Social support was negatively associated with concurrent mental health but post hoc analyses suggested that men's social networks perhaps provide greater social support to the extent that the men are emotionally distressed.