Women Supporting Women: The Use of Art With Anxious/Depressed, Urban, Impoverished, Ethnically Diverse Women.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety disproportionately affect urban, ethnically diverse, impoverished women-particularly when access to culturally sensitive care is limited. Using community-based participatory research in the context of long-term, academic/community partnerships, women supporting women, a supportive/educative group intervention piloting an art project, was offered. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an artist book-making project on diverse women struggling with anxiety and depression. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative approach was used within this mixed-method study. Thirty-one participants, aged 18 to 86 years, were asked: (1) How does this book tell your story? (2) How did creating this book impact you personally? (3) How would you describe the experience of creating your book alongside women from our group? (4) How did this project help you with anxiety and depression? (5) What did you do with the book that you made? The framework method for analysis of qualitative data in multidisciplinary health research was used. RESULTS: Four themes, with corresponding subthemes, were identified: (1) personal story entailed expression of past, present, and future journey and mediums to depict the story; (2) method of coping included relaxation, diversion, and self-care; (3) creative impact encompassed affirmation of identity, empowerment, healing, pride in work, and a vehicle to connect; and (4) creating in community incorporated inspiration, sharing, and solidarity. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that an art project provides a culturally sensitive, clinically relevant, and cost-effective self-care intervention for vulnerable women struggling with anxiety and depression.

Factors impacting attrition of vulnerable women from a longitudinal mental health intervention study.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored factors associated with attrition of vulnerable women from a community-based, longitudinal mental health intervention study. DESIGN: The study employed a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent comparison group pretest-posttest design. The intervention consisted of six, 90-min meetings featuring education and support. SAMPLE: One hundred and eighteen women aged 18-88 years enrolled from four urban neighborhoods. MEASUREMENTS: The team used the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Primary Health Questionnaire-9, a self-care knowledge for anxiety and depression instrument, and demographics to measure variables. INTERVENTION: Sessions occurred at trusted neighborhood sites. The team provided transportation, child care, and reminder calls or texts. Community health workers actively encouraged participants to continue in the study. The researchers did not offer financial incentives. Completion of the intervention involved attending four of six sessions. RESULTS: The study had a 39% attrition rate. Results, using a Chi-square test for independence, indicated significant associations between attrition, neighborhood/homelessness, and family income. Additionally, there were significant associations between attrition, a past diagnosis of anxiety, and a lack of concurrent therapy for anxiety/depression. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified social determinants and mental health factors linked to the attrition of urban, ethnically diverse, and impoverished women from longitudinal intervention studies.

Women supporting women: Supportive/educative groups for ethnically diverse, urban, impoverished women dealing with depression and anxiety.

Depression and anxiety are mental health issues that disproportionately affect urban, ethnically diverse, impoverished women. Using community based participatory research and in the context of long-term partnerships between a nursing department and underserved neighborhoods that are predominately Black, Hispanic, and White respectively, supportive/educative groups were offered. The study employed a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent comparison group pretest-posttest design. Seventy-two women aged 17-88 years participated. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated a significant increase in knowledge for self-care for depression and anxiety and a significant decrease in anxiety and depression symptomatology from before to after the group sessions.