Paradigm Consideration for Studies of Women's Mental Health: Focused on Domestic Nursing Academic Journals / 정신간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This integrative review was done to explore trends in mental health nursing research on women in terms of a research paradigm, life-cycles of the women, and mental health concepts. METHODS: n this study an examination was done of the literature on mental health of women described in nursing research published in major Korean nursing journal databases from 2000 to 2012. The Journal of Child Health Nursing was excluded. The MeSH search terms included 'nursing' and 'woman' and 282 articles were included in the final review. RESULTS: Postpositivism was the most predominantly used paradigm. Middle aged women were studied more often and older and reproductive aged women were less likely to be studied compared to their percentage of the total population. Researchers focused most on depression, followed by sleep disorders and anxiety disorders. CONCLUSION: The study results indicate a need for rmfjtunursing researchers to utilize various research paradigms when conducting nursing research and demonstrate paradigm utility. Researchers should also pay more attention to older and reproductive aged women, and to anxiety disorders.