Women in Transition: A Qualitative Analysis of Definitions of Poverty and Success

A phenomenological approach examined the stories of ten women transitioning from childhood poverty to adult life. Women were chosen from a pool of participants in an Upward Bound program designed to assist low-income and/or first-generation college students in the Midwestern United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to retrospectively explore their lived experiences. Recurring themes included facilitators of change, specifically the people, including mental health professionals, family members, romantic partners, and friends who helped make change possible. Another frequent theme found in the research was the impact an education had on the participants. Finally, the participants shared their own insights related to the stigma of poverty and their diverse experiences in transitioning away from poverty. Research findings could prove beneficial to social service professionals interested in understanding the complex realities of resilient, impoverished women

Women in Transition: A Qualitative Analysis of Definitions of Poverty and Success

A phenomenological approach examined the stories of ten women transitioning from childhood poverty to adult life. Women were chosen from a pool of participants in an Upward Bound program designed to assist low-income and/or first-generation college students in the Midwestern United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to retrospectively explore their lived experiences. Recurring themes included facilitators of change, specifically the people, including mental health professionals, family members, romantic partners, and friends who helped make change possible. Another frequent theme found in the research was the impact an education had on the participants. Finally, the participants shared their own insights related to the stigma of poverty and their diverse experiences in transitioning away from poverty. Research findings could prove beneficial to social service professionals interested in understanding the complex realities of resilient, impoverished women.</jats:p

Advancing Stage of Female Reproductive Life Associated with Bipolar Illness Exacerbation

Introduction: Perimenopause confers an increased risk of depression in the general population, yet bipolar disorder mood course remains unknown. Methods: Clinic visits in 519 premenopausal, 116 perimenopausal including 13 women transitioning from peri- to postmenopause, and 133 postmenopausal women with bipolar disorder who received naturalistic treatment in the multisite STEP-Bipolar Disorder study over 19.8 +/- 15.5 months were analyzed for mood state. Results: Advancing female reproductive stage was associated with significant decline in mood elevation; significant decline in euthymia; no significant difference in major depression; and symptomatic significant increase. Conclusions: Advancing stage of female reproductive life was associated with bipolar illness exacerbation. Women transitioning from peri- to postmenopause had significantly greater depression than other female reproductive groups

Progression of female reproductive stages associated with bipolar illness exacerbation

OBJECTIVES: Late perimenopause and early postmenopause confer an increased risk of depression in the population, yet bipolar disorder mood course during these times remains unclear. METHODS: Clinic visits in 519 premenopausal, 116 perimenopausal (including 13 women transitioning from perimenopause to postmenopause), and 133 postmenopausal women with bipolar disorder who received naturalistic treatment in the multisite Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) study over 19.8 +/- 15.5 months were analyzed for mood state. History of postpartum and perimenstrual mood exacerbation and current hormone therapy were evaluated as potential mood predictors. RESULTS: A progression in female reproductive stage (premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause) was significantly associated with percent of visits decreasing in euthymia (29.3%, 27.0%, 25.0%, respectively, p < 0.05), decreasing in syndromal mood elevation (5.3%, 4.1%, and 3.0%, respectively, p < 0.001), and increasing in subsyndromal symptoms (47.3%, 50.7%, and 52.7%, respectively, p = 0.05). Thirteen women transitioning from peri- to postmenopause had a significantly greater proportion of visits in syndromal depression (24.4%, p < 0.0005) compared to premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, while depression in the latter three groups (18.1%, 18.1%, and 19.3%, respectively) did not differ. Perimenstrual and/or postpartum mood exacerbation, or hormone therapy did not significantly alter depression during perimenopause. CONCLUSIONS: A progression in female reproductive stages was associated with bipolar illness exacerbation. A small number of women transitioning from perimenopause to postmenopause had significantly greater depression than other female reproductive groups. Euthymia and mood elevation decreased with progressing female reproductive stage. Menstrual cycle or postpartum mood exacerbation, or current hormone therapy use, was not associated with perimenopausal depression. Future studies, which include hormonal assessments, are needed to confirm these preliminary findings

Lifelong estradiol exposure and risk of depressive symptoms during the transition to menopause and postmenopause

OBJECTIVE: Depression risk increases during the menopausal transition (MT) and initial postmenopausal years-both times of significant fluctuations of estrogen. Research to date provides limited support for the hypothesis that estrogen fluctuations play a role in the greater susceptibility to midlife depression. Importantly, not all women report depressive symptoms during the MT, and recent reports suggest that duration of exposure to estradiol throughout the adult years may also play a role in vulnerability to depression. This study examines patterns of estrogen exposure during the reproductive years and risk of depression during the MT and early postmenopausal years. METHODS: A longitudinal, US community-based, multiethnic study of menopause. Data were collected at baseline and annually for 10 years, and included 1,306 regularly menstruating premenopausal women, aged 42 to 52 years at study entry. The main outcome was incidence of high level of depressive symptoms, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score at least 16, in the MT and initial postmenopausal years, independent of premenopausal depression symptoms. Risk factors examined were duration of estrogen exposure (menarche to MT), duration of hormonal birth control use, pregnancies, and lactation. RESULTS: In a multivariate adjusted model, longer duration of estrogen exposure from menarche to MT onset was significantly associated with a reduced risk of depression (CES-D \u3e /=16) during the MT and 10 years or less postmenopause (odds ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.78-0.92). Longer duration of birth control use was associated with a decreased risk of CES-D at least 16 (odds ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.83-0.98), but number of pregnancies or breastfeeding was not. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of reproductive lifetime exposure to estrogen are associated with risk of high depressive symptoms during the MT and initial postmenopausal years; longer exposure to estrogen seemed protective