Contemporary paradigms for research related to women's mental health.

Mental health problems are serious health concerns that affect women across diverse settings internationally. Knowledge of this population historically has been informed by research using a positivist approach. This article is a critical examination of contemporary paradigms for research related to women's mental health.

The needs of depressed women: perspectives of family physicians.

Twenty family physicians (11 female and 9 male) were interviewed about their experiences in treating depressed patients. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically with respect to physicians' understanding of women's depression and their treatment strategies with depressed women. Stress arising in the social context of women's lives was perceived as a key precipitant of depression in women, with family-related, gender-specific and practical sources of stress as the main contributors.

Canadian mothers' perceived support needs during postpartum depression.

Objective: To assess the support needs, support resources, barriers to support, and preferences for support intervention for women with postpartum depression.

Design: Multisite, exploratory, descriptive study in which qualitative data were collected on support needs, the availability of resources, perceived barriers to support, and preferences for support of women who have experienced symptoms of postpartum depression.

Participants And Setting: Conducted in Alberta and New Brunswick; mothers were interviewed individually (Alberta, n= 24; New Brunswick, n= 17) and in groups (Alberta, n= 5; New Brunswick, n= 6).

Diagnosing depression: there is no blood test.

Objective: To explore and describe primary care physicians' experiences in providing care to depressed patients and to increase understanding of the possibilities and constraints around diagnosing and treating depression in primary care.

Design: Qualitative study using personal interviews.

Setting: A hospital region in eastern Canada.

Barriers to treating depression in the family physician's office.

This qualitative research aims to understand, from the standpoint of the family physician, the barriers to treating depression in the office setting. Three primary barriers to treating depression in the family physician's office were identified: systemic, physician-related, and patient-related. The systemic barriers involved the shortage of qualified, publicly-funded counsellors, lack of locally available counselling, and the cost of medication.

Physicians' constructions of depression: inside/outside the boundaries of medicalization.

A qualitative study explored primary care physicians' experiences of diagnosing and treating depression. Twenty physicians participated in semi-structured interviews. Interview questions asked physicians to consider a range of topics such as the etiology of depression, the diagnostic process and treatment of depression.

The theme of disconnection in adolescent girls' understanding of depression.

Fourteen adolescent girls aged between 14 and 17 were interviewed concerning their understanding of depression. Individual interviews were semi-structured and included discussion about descriptions of, causes of, and coping with, depression. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and were analysed thematically.