Description:
Background Very limited research has been undertaken on sex workers' personal romantic relationships and the impact the nature of their work has on their relationships. This exploratory study aimed to explore the impact sex work has on women's personal romantic relationships and the use of mental separation as a coping mechanism to balance the two aspects of their lives. Fifty-five women working in the indoor sex industry in Melbourne, Australia, were recruited to complete a self-report questionnaire about various aspects of their work, including the impact of sex work on their personal relationships. Questionnaires were completed anonymously and included both closed and open-ended questions. A further six women were interviewed to 'member check' the accuracy of the questionnaire findings. Most women (78%) reported that, overall, sex work affected their personal romantic relationships in predominantly negative ways, mainly relating to issues stemming from lying, trust, guilt and jealousy. A small number of women reported positive impacts from sex work including improved sexual self-esteem and confidence. Just under half of women were in a relationship at the time of the study and, of these, 51% reported their partner was aware of the nature of their work. Seventy-seven percent of single women chose to remain single due to the nature of their work. Many women used mental separation as a coping mechanism to manage the tensions between sex work and their personal relationships. Member checking validated the accuracy of the questionnaire data. This exploratory study identified a number of ways in which sex work impacts negatively on women's personal romantic relationships. The findings of this study support the need for further studies to be undertaken to determine if the findings are reflected in a larger, more representative sample of Australian sex workers and should be considered in the context of any future intervention and support programs aimed at addressing the tensions sex workers experience between their work and personal relationships. Greater public awareness and education programs aimed at addressing the negative stigma associated with the sex industry may go some way towards easing the issues faced by women in their personal relationships.
Description:
Background Very limited research has been undertaken on sex workers' personal romantic relationships and the impact the nature of their work has on their relationships. This exploratory study aimed to explore the impact sex work has on women's personal romantic relationships and the use of mental separation as a coping mechanism to balance the two aspects of their lives. Fifty-five women working in the indoor sex industry in Melbourne, Australia, were recruited to complete a self-report questionnaire about various aspects of their work, including the impact of sex work on their personal relationships. Questionnaires were completed anonymously and included both closed and open-ended questions. A further six women were interviewed to 'member check' the accuracy of the questionnaire findings. Most women (78%) reported that, overall, sex work affected their personal romantic relationships in predominantly negative ways, mainly relating to issues stemming from lying, trust, guilt and jealousy. A small number of women reported positive impacts from sex work including improved sexual self-esteem and confidence. Just under half of women were in a relationship at the time of the study and, of these, 51% reported their partner was aware of the nature of their work. Seventy-seven percent of single women chose to remain single due to the nature of their work. Many women used mental separation as a coping mechanism to manage the tensions between sex work and their personal relationships. Member checking validated the accuracy of the questionnaire data. This exploratory study identified a number of ways in which sex work impacts negatively on women's personal romantic relationships. The findings of this study support the need for further studies to be undertaken to determine if the findings are reflected in a larger, more representative sample of Australian sex workers and should be considered in the context of any future intervention and support programs aimed at addressing the tensions sex workers experience between their work and personal relationships. Greater public awareness and education programs aimed at addressing the negative stigma associated with the sex industry may go some way towards easing the issues faced by women in their personal relationships.
Description:
Background: As the number of immigrants grows, the health of Chinese immigrant women, especially their perinatal health, has gradually attracted public attention. Our review has two main purposes. First, estimate the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms in Chinese immigrant women, and then determine risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms among these women. Methods: The following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and PubMed were used in literature search from their commencements until November 21st 2017. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal instruments were used to evaluate the quality of the article. Four studies met the inclusion criteria, contributed to our review and meta-analysis. Result: The prevalence of postpartum depression is high in Chinese immigrant women. Risk factors for postpartum depression in Chinese immigrant women were defined as lack of social support, unstable economic status, and acculturation. Conclusion: There have been few studies on postpartum depression among Chinese immigrant women. Existing studies have shown a high prevalence of postpartum depression in Chinese immigrant women. Moreover, there is an urgent need for studies on postpartum depression among Chinese immigrant women informing better understanding, programs of care and improving the perinatal health status of Chinese immigrant women. (C) 2018 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Description:
ObjectiveLevels of suicidal behavior among gay men are a significant concern. The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide proposes that being unpartnered is a risk factor for suicidal behavior due to thwarted belongingness; however, this has yet to be tested empirically. Recent studies also indicate that the two components of hope, agency and pathways, may be protective against suicidal behavior. The first aim of the current study was to investigate whether thwarted belongingness mediates the relationship between relationship status and suicidal behavior in gay men. The study also examined whether agency and pathways weaken the association between relationship status and thwarted belongingness, and whether agency weakens the relation between thwarted belongingness and suicidal behavior. MethodA sample of 370 self-identified gay men aged from 18 to 66 years old (M = 26.13, SD = 8.02) completed the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-Revised, and the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale. ResultsResults showed that thwarted belongingness mediated the relationship between relationship status and suicidal behavior. The hypothesized moderated-mediation models were not supported. ConclusionsThese findings have implications for the development of interventions that aim to reduce suicidal behaviors in gay men.