Experiences and daily life attitudes of women with severe mental disorders: integrative review of associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to identify the factors that influence the experiences and daily life attitudes of women with severe mental disorders (SMD). METHOD: A search for studies published from 2000 to 2014 was conducted in electronic databases. All relevant primary studies were screened using integrative methods. Findings were synthesized thereafter. RESULTS: Fifteen articles were included. A total of 21 factors were identified as being associated with experiences and daily life attitudes of women with SMD. These factors consisted of the following five categories: strengths and limitations regarding self-care behavior and healthcare delivery, unmet healthcare needs, psychosocial vulnerabilities underlying SMD, gains and challenges of motherhood, and adoption of coping strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare providers can greatly contribute to improving the quality of healthcare for women with SMD, but several barriers need to be overcome.

Self-esteem of adult women living in a peripheral area of São Paolo city, Brazil.

Our purpose was to determine the level of self-esteem (SE) and its associations with women's sociodemographic characteristics and social status. Adult women (N = 120) living in a peripheral area of Sao Paulo City in Southeastern Brazil were randomly included in our study. We found significant associations between higher SE scores and higher schooling (p =.02), participation in religious meetings in the church (p =.022), and practice of leisure activities (p <.001). The inclusion of a broader range of activities should be provided in health care and educational settings aiming at the improvement of women's SE levels.

Men's perceptions and attitudes toward the partner with premenstrual syndrome.

This study focused on the young adult men's perceptions and behavior toward their women partners who they acknowledged as experiencing the effects of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). A qualitative study was conducted, framed by social constructivism, where individual interviews with 20 young Brazilian men aged 21 to 29 years were analyzed thematically. Four descriptive categories to express the men's experiences: (a) men's observations on partner's behavior changes, (b) early in the relationship: apprehension and confusion, (c) knowledge about PMS led men to better understanding about changes, and (d) need for support from a health care provider and medication. The men's perceptions and behavior toward their partners were strongly influenced by biomedical conceptions of PMS. Participants believed that their partners' emotions and behaviors were determined by PMS during some days of the month, consequently PMS had affected the couple's relationship. Another consequence of such medicalization was that women's complaints about PMS were rendered invisible except when viewed as a serious medical problem requiring cure, rather than a part of women's cyclical patterns. It is the case that the systematic description of men's perceptions about their partner's PMS provides an approach to this topic in educational and health care activities, with the potential to improve gender relations.

Religiosity and sexuality: counseling provided by Brazilian Protestant pastors.

OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study aimed to explore counseling about sexuality and contraception provided to the church community. METHODS: The oral history method was performed. Data were collected through in-depth face-to-face interviews with 18 Brazilian Protestant pastors and were examined using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes were identified from the data: (a) Counseling based on Christian doctrine provided to preserve the integrity of the family; (b) Adequate performance of gender roles is essential to preserve harmony in the family; (c) Recommendations for sex with pleasure and the free use of contraceptives in marriage; (d) Distinct positions regarding abortion: clearly forbidden versus permissible when authorized by law. CONCLUSIONS: The pastors provide traditional counselings regarding sexuality and the use of contraceptives is stimulated within the marriage. The main aim of the counselings given to the church community is the preservation of family integrity. The exploration of patients religious backgrounds and its consideration is essential in the planning and implementation of a culturally meaningful and non-conflicting healthcare.