Search

The purpose of this discussion paper is to explore the existing literature from Canada on transitioning from military to civilian life for veterans of recent deployments. A number of topics relating to the transition experience emerged: interpersonal readjustment, emotional including mental health needs, school needs, and social needs. Implications for nursing will be discussed in terms of veterans as a cultural group and culturally competent nursing care. Recommendations for future nursing research include how well current services are meeting the needs of the younger, more recent veterans transitioning to civilian life; conducting longitudinal studies on the impact of transitioning to civilian life for veterans and their families; comparing the transition experience at an international level; developing a transition model that situates the veteran culture as the overarching framework for testing and understanding the experience of transitioning to civilian life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What Is Known on the Subject?: Economic and educational opportunities are usually the principal driving forces for migration.There is a large body of quantitative research studies, mainly from the U.K., supporting the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, mainly psychotic disorders, in Afro‐Caribbean immigrants which increases across generations.The process of migration and acculturation can present significant risk factors for psychiatric disorders in immigrants.Research involving members of the Black community is generally conducted with the perception that Blacks are a homogenous group, ignoring the cultural and ethnic differences among the subgroups. What the Paper Adds to Existing Knowledge?: It provides a broadened understanding of the experiences, thoughts and feelings of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants, and the factors within the processes of migration and acculturation that negatively impacts their mental health.It provides context to the volume of quantitative studies indicating a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, particularly psychotic disorders, in Afro‐Caribbean immigrants and their offspring. What Are the Implications for Practice?: Nurses conducting mental health evaluations and assessments for members of the Black community should be culturally competent. Cultural competence entails an understanding of cultural beliefs, race, ethnicity and values. Additionally, knowledge of the effects of migration and acculturation as mental health risks is also important to improve mental health outcomes.Cultural competence will help reduce health disparities by increasing trust in the health care system and providers, not only for Afro‐Caribbean immigrants, but all immigrant groups. Introduction: There is evidence to support migration as a significant risk factor for psychiatric disorders in immigrants. Unfortunately, as an immigrant group, little is known about the mental health of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants and the factors that threaten their mental health. Aim: To explore the perceived effects of migration on the mental health of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants. Methods: A qualitative narrative synthesis was employed to interpretively integrate 13 primary qualitative research findings. Eleven of the primary studies were conducted in the U.K., one in the U.S. and one in Canada. Results: The themes gleaned: (1) experiences of racism, (2) generational conflicts, (3) feelings of powerlessness, (4) limited socioeconomic resources, (5) unfulfilled expectations, (6) fragmented family and community and (7) ignoring cultural/ethnic identity. Discussion: The findings broadened the understanding and experiences of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants and their mental health vulnerabilities as they navigate through migration and acculturation. Implications for Practice: Addressing the mental health of Afro‐Caribbeans will require health care providers to: (1) be cognizant of their immigrant status; (2) understand how migration and acculturation influence the mental health of immigrants; (3) be aware of the ethnocultural differences among Black subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary • Theoretical frameworks that are multidimensional provides a standpoint within nursing practice to acknowledge that such care requires the ability to recognize and tailor services to meet the needs of diverse individuals. • Theoretical praxis advocate for a type of raised consciousness that regards how social structures operate to oppress some members of society while systematically privileging others. • It is through critical praxis that action can be mitigated to examine the existing social realities for Aboriginal women and serve to reduce these inequities. This paper describes theories from various disciplines that are useful in conceptualizing and reflecting on the mental health of Aboriginal women. Critical social theory (sociology), Parse's human becoming theory (nursing) and ecological systems theory (developmental psychology) are considered valuable theories that aid in nursing praxis. These papers discuss how these different theoretical approaches are beneficial for achieving different goals and therefore provide important foundational underpinnings to challenging traditional assumptions that effect human behaviour and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known about the subject?: Immigrant women in Canada are at greater risk for post‐partum depression (PPD) than native‐born women.Immigrant women are less likely to have their care needs met as they face multiple barriers to care at both individual and system levels.To date, most PPD research has focused on individual barriers to care, with limited research examining organizational and system level barriers and the uniqueness of immigrant women's post‐partum health experiences. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: This study provides unique insights into immigrant women's perceptions of what influences their post‐partum mental health and ability to access services for PPD.Factors contributing to immigrant women's PPD included several social determinants of health, particularly a lack of social support and limited knowledge about PPD and available services.Most helpful services acknowledge women's concerns, build trust, enact cultural competence and help with system navigation.Assessment approaches and organizational wait times created barriers to accessing care. What are the implications for practice?: Relationship building by providers is foundational to effective care for immigrant women with PPD.Findings highlight the need for mental health practitioners to improve cultural competence when working with diverse ethno‐cultural communities and for more effective assistance with system navigation, service integration and timely, flexible and accessible services.Findings have implications for the development of healthy public policy to address perinatal mental health issues amongst immigrant women. Introduction: Immigrant women in Canada are at greater risk for post‐partum depression (PPD) than native‐born women yet face multiple barriers to care at individual and system levels. Aim: To explore factors that contribute to PPD and health service accessibility, and the role of health services in supporting immigrant women with PPD. Methods: A qualitative interpretive descriptive design was used. Individual interviews were conducted with 11 immigrant women who had delivered a baby within the previous year and had experienced PPD. Inductive thematic content analysis was conducted. Results: Factors contributing to immigrant women's PPD included several social health determinants. Services were most helpful and accessible when providers acknowledged women's concerns, allowed time to build trust, provided culturally competent care and helped with navigating services. Assessment approaches and organizational wait times created barriers to care. Discussion: Immigrant women with PPD see relationship building by providers as foundational to providing effective support, enhancing coping and facilitating access to services. Improved communication with diverse ethno‐cultural communities and assistance with system navigation, service integration and timely, accessible services are needed. Implications for Practice: Findings can inform health service delivery models and the development of healthy public policy to address perinatal mental health issues amongst immigrant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Social support has positive and negative dimensions, each of which has been associated with mental health outcomes. Social networks can also serve as sources of distress and conflict., This paper reviews journal articles published during the last 24 years to provide a consolidated summary of the role of social support and social conflict on immigrant women's mental health. The review reveals that social support can help immigrant women adjust to the new country, prevent depression and psychological distress, and access care and services. When social support is lacking or social networks act as a source of conflict, it can have negative effects on immigrant women's mental health., It is crucial that interventions, programmes, and services incorporate strategies to both enhance social support as well as reduce social conflict, in order to improve mental health and well-being of immigrant women., Abstract Researchers have documented the protective role of social support and the harmful consequences of social conflict on physical and mental health. However, consolidated information about social support, social conflict, and mental health of immigrant women in Canada is not available. This scoping review examined literature from the last 24 years to understand how social support and social conflict affect the mental health of immigrant women in Canada. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Healthstar, and EMBASE for peer-reviewed publications focusing on mental health among immigrant women in Canada. Thirty-four articles that met our inclusion criteria were reviewed, and are summarized under the following four headings: settlement challenges and the need for social support; social support and mental health outcomes; social conflict and reciprocity; and social support, social conflict, and mental health service use. The results revealed that social support can have a positive effect on immigrant women's mental health and well-being, and facilitate social inclusion and the use of health services. When social support is lacking or social networks act as a source of conflict, it can have negative effects on immigrant women's mental health. The results also highlighted the need for health services to be linguistically-appropriate and culturally-safe, and provide appropriate types of care and support in a timely manner in order to be helpful to immigrant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]