Depressive symptoms associated with physical health problems in midlife women: A longitudinal study.

Background: It is unclear if the relationship between depression and physical health problems in women is related to age, reproductive stage, obesity or socio-demographic risk factors.

Methods: Longitudinal data were obtained every 6 months for 36 months in 264 midlife African American, Caucasian and Latina women who began the study as healthy regularly menstruating 40 to 50-year-olds; 75 transitioned to peri- or post-menopause by 36 months. Scores of 16 or higher on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale were used to estimate depression risk.

Sleep disturbance in midlife women.

Emphasizing midlife women, this review describes sleep and compares self-report sleep data with objective findings from laboratory studies of women. Sleep disturbance is a more prevalent complaint for women than men. Not due to chronologic age per se, it is associated with menopausal symptoms and most importantly with comorbidities and stress.

Poststroke depression incidence and risk factors: an integrative literature review.

Depression is a frequent complication of stroke, but few nurse researchers have studied poststroke depression (PSD). We reviewed all published research (January 1980-March 2005) that examined the incidence of and risk factors for depression among stroke survivors during the first 3 months after stroke. Many of the 49 studies reviewed were complicated by methodological limitations, including differing definitions of stroke and depression, the use of screening instruments to diagnose depression, selection bias, assessment at different time intervals poststroke, exclusion of patients with physical or cognitive impairments, and failure to control for associated variables.

Essential educational content for advanced practice in psychiatric consultation liaison nursing.

Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Nursing (PCLN), an advanced practice subspecialty of psychiatric mental health nursing, has evolved over the last 4 decades in response to increased recognition of the importance of psychophysiological interrelationships and their impact on wellness, physical illness, and recovery. PCLN specialists practice in many countries although there are few PCLN programs in schools of nursing. This article defines PCLN, reviews its history, and recommends essential educational content for inclusion in a master's curriculum to prepare graduates for competent and effective PCLN practice.