Depression, a disorder often thought of as a women’s health issue, is underreported in men. Littl... more Depression, a disorder often thought of as a women’s health issue, is underreported in men. Little is known about how heterosexual couples respond when the male partner is depressed; however, couples are often challenged to make life adjustments that impact their gender relations. The findings detailed in this chapter are drawn from an innovative qualitative study of 26 heterosexual couples (26 men and their 26 women partners) in which the man had a formal diagnosis and/or self-identified as depressed. Canadian-based participants completed individual, semistructured interviews that focused on exploring how masculinities and femininities intersect to forge particular heterosexual gender relations in the context of the male partner’s depression. A social constructionist gender analysis revealed three couple typologies: trading places, business as usual, and edgy tensions. Trading places refers to couples who embodied some atypical masculine and feminine roles to compensate for the men’s depression-induced losses (eg, men as homemakers and women as breadwinners). Women partners in these dyads broke with feminine ideals in how they provided partner support by employing tough love strategies to protect themselves and prompt the men’s self-management of their depression. Couples involved in business as usual co-constructed men’s alignment with masculine workman ideals and women’s emotional support to counter and conceal men’s depression-induced deficits. Among couples in the edgy tensions category, a mismatch of gender expectations fueled resentment and dysfunction that threatened the viability of some relationships. Overall, the limits of women’s resilience and caregiving were evident, yet the findings also reveal how women directly influenced the men’s management of their depression. Opportunities for couples to assess their relationship dynamics within a broad range of gender relations might support couples’ connectedness and life quality during the challenges that accompany men’s depression.
Journal of medical Internet research, Jan 20, 2016
Men continue to smoke cigarettes in greater numbers than women. There is growing evidence for the... more Men continue to smoke cigarettes in greater numbers than women. There is growing evidence for the value of developing targeted, men-centered health promotion programs. However, few smoking cessation interventions have been designed for men. A gender-specific website, QuitNow Men, was developed based on focus group interview findings, stakeholder feedback, and evidence-based cessation strategies. The website was designed to incorporate a masculine look and feel through the use of images, direct language, and interactive content. Usability experts and end-users provided feedback on navigation and functionality of the website prior to pilot testing. The objectives of the pilot study were to describe (1) men's use and evaluations of the interactive resources and information on the QuitNow Men website, and (2) the potential of QuitNow Men to engage men in reducing and quitting smoking. A one-group, pretest-posttest study design was used. Men who were interested in quitting were recru...
In Canada, cultural safety (CS) is emerging as a theoretical and practice lens to orient health c... more In Canada, cultural safety (CS) is emerging as a theoretical and practice lens to orient health care services to meet the needs of Aboriginal people. Evidence suggests Aboriginal peoples’ encounters with health care are commonly negative, and there is concern that these experiences can contribute to further adverse health outcomes. In this article, we report findings based on participatory action research drawing on Indigenous methods. Our project goal was to interrogate practices within one hospital to see whether and how CS for Aboriginal patients could be improved. Interviews with Aboriginal patients who had accessed hospital services were conducted, and responses were collated into narrative summaries. Using interlocking analysis, findings revealed a number of processes operating to produce adverse health outcomes. One significant outcome is the production of structural violence that reproduces experiences of institutional trauma. Positive culturally safe experiences, although l...
Although individuals who are diagnosed with smoking-related disorders are offered smoking cessati... more Although individuals who are diagnosed with smoking-related disorders are offered smoking cessation programs, little attention has been directed toward reducing tobacco use among healthy relatives who smoke. The purpose of this article is to report smoking relatives’ responses to a family member’s diagnosis of lung disease, their constructions of smoking in this context, and their interaction patterns with the patient. Interviews with 11 family members where there was a diagnosis of lung cancer and 3 family members where there was another serious smoking-related diagnosis were analyzed. Family members used two strategies to support their continued smoking: distancing themselves from the diagnosis and taking the position that smoking cessation needed to be internally motivated by the “right reason” and initiated at the “right time” to anticipate success. The few participants who chose to quit, did so in support of their ill family member. The findings provide direction for intervenin...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how individuals who self-report therapeutic... more The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how individuals who self-report therapeutic use of cannabis perceive its health effects. Data from 23 individual interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Understandings of gendered roles and identities were used to explore the data and interpret differences in perceptions. Descriptions of the health benefits of cannabis for therapeutic purposes included cannabis as life preserving, a disease therapy, a medicine for the mind, a means for self-management, and a way to manage addiction. Self-management of risks focused on the potential effects of excessive use, smoking-related risks, and purchasing precautions. Although the reports of women and men were similar in many respects, there were important differences in patterns and practices of use that reflected gender influences. Insights from the study provide direction for developing gender-specific information to support decision making and usage for therapeutic users.
Women with breast cancer have been found to rely heavily on family members for providing support ... more Women with breast cancer have been found to rely heavily on family members for providing support during their illness experiences. There has been limited research on ethnocultural families' experiences of illness and how these families respond to a diagnosis of breast cancer. This study examined the experiences and responses of family members of immigrant Punjabi women diagnosed with breast cancer. Through interviews with 19 Punjabi women diagnosed with breast cancer and 18 family members, key practical and emotional support strategies were described. Recommendations for culturally appropriate, family-centered models of care are provided that acknowledge breast cancer as a family event.
Depression, a disorder often thought of as a women’s health issue, is underreported in men. Littl... more Depression, a disorder often thought of as a women’s health issue, is underreported in men. Little is known about how heterosexual couples respond when the male partner is depressed; however, couples are often challenged to make life adjustments that impact their gender relations. The findings detailed in this chapter are drawn from an innovative qualitative study of 26 heterosexual couples (26 men and their 26 women partners) in which the man had a formal diagnosis and/or self-identified as depressed. Canadian-based participants completed individual, semistructured interviews that focused on exploring how masculinities and femininities intersect to forge particular heterosexual gender relations in the context of the male partner’s depression. A social constructionist gender analysis revealed three couple typologies: trading places, business as usual, and edgy tensions. Trading places refers to couples who embodied some atypical masculine and feminine roles to compensate for the men’s depression-induced losses (eg, men as homemakers and women as breadwinners). Women partners in these dyads broke with feminine ideals in how they provided partner support by employing tough love strategies to protect themselves and prompt the men’s self-management of their depression. Couples involved in business as usual co-constructed men’s alignment with masculine workman ideals and women’s emotional support to counter and conceal men’s depression-induced deficits. Among couples in the edgy tensions category, a mismatch of gender expectations fueled resentment and dysfunction that threatened the viability of some relationships. Overall, the limits of women’s resilience and caregiving were evident, yet the findings also reveal how women directly influenced the men’s management of their depression. Opportunities for couples to assess their relationship dynamics within a broad range of gender relations might support couples’ connectedness and life quality during the challenges that accompany men’s depression.
Journal of medical Internet research, Jan 20, 2016
Men continue to smoke cigarettes in greater numbers than women. There is growing evidence for the... more Men continue to smoke cigarettes in greater numbers than women. There is growing evidence for the value of developing targeted, men-centered health promotion programs. However, few smoking cessation interventions have been designed for men. A gender-specific website, QuitNow Men, was developed based on focus group interview findings, stakeholder feedback, and evidence-based cessation strategies. The website was designed to incorporate a masculine look and feel through the use of images, direct language, and interactive content. Usability experts and end-users provided feedback on navigation and functionality of the website prior to pilot testing. The objectives of the pilot study were to describe (1) men's use and evaluations of the interactive resources and information on the QuitNow Men website, and (2) the potential of QuitNow Men to engage men in reducing and quitting smoking. A one-group, pretest-posttest study design was used. Men who were interested in quitting were recru...
In Canada, cultural safety (CS) is emerging as a theoretical and practice lens to orient health c... more In Canada, cultural safety (CS) is emerging as a theoretical and practice lens to orient health care services to meet the needs of Aboriginal people. Evidence suggests Aboriginal peoples’ encounters with health care are commonly negative, and there is concern that these experiences can contribute to further adverse health outcomes. In this article, we report findings based on participatory action research drawing on Indigenous methods. Our project goal was to interrogate practices within one hospital to see whether and how CS for Aboriginal patients could be improved. Interviews with Aboriginal patients who had accessed hospital services were conducted, and responses were collated into narrative summaries. Using interlocking analysis, findings revealed a number of processes operating to produce adverse health outcomes. One significant outcome is the production of structural violence that reproduces experiences of institutional trauma. Positive culturally safe experiences, although l...
Although individuals who are diagnosed with smoking-related disorders are offered smoking cessati... more Although individuals who are diagnosed with smoking-related disorders are offered smoking cessation programs, little attention has been directed toward reducing tobacco use among healthy relatives who smoke. The purpose of this article is to report smoking relatives’ responses to a family member’s diagnosis of lung disease, their constructions of smoking in this context, and their interaction patterns with the patient. Interviews with 11 family members where there was a diagnosis of lung cancer and 3 family members where there was another serious smoking-related diagnosis were analyzed. Family members used two strategies to support their continued smoking: distancing themselves from the diagnosis and taking the position that smoking cessation needed to be internally motivated by the “right reason” and initiated at the “right time” to anticipate success. The few participants who chose to quit, did so in support of their ill family member. The findings provide direction for intervenin...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how individuals who self-report therapeutic... more The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how individuals who self-report therapeutic use of cannabis perceive its health effects. Data from 23 individual interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Understandings of gendered roles and identities were used to explore the data and interpret differences in perceptions. Descriptions of the health benefits of cannabis for therapeutic purposes included cannabis as life preserving, a disease therapy, a medicine for the mind, a means for self-management, and a way to manage addiction. Self-management of risks focused on the potential effects of excessive use, smoking-related risks, and purchasing precautions. Although the reports of women and men were similar in many respects, there were important differences in patterns and practices of use that reflected gender influences. Insights from the study provide direction for developing gender-specific information to support decision making and usage for therapeutic users.
Women with breast cancer have been found to rely heavily on family members for providing support ... more Women with breast cancer have been found to rely heavily on family members for providing support during their illness experiences. There has been limited research on ethnocultural families' experiences of illness and how these families respond to a diagnosis of breast cancer. This study examined the experiences and responses of family members of immigrant Punjabi women diagnosed with breast cancer. Through interviews with 19 Punjabi women diagnosed with breast cancer and 18 family members, key practical and emotional support strategies were described. Recommendations for culturally appropriate, family-centered models of care are provided that acknowledge breast cancer as a family event.
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