Mental Health From A Gender Perspective

Mental Health from a Gender Perspective addresses the many issues that impact on women's mental health, drawing from a wide range of disciplines.

This book focuses on various aspects of gender and mental health. Drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives and scholarship, it summarizes the complex intertwining of illness and culture in the context of the rising frequency of mental disorders. The book is divided into three sections, the first of which examines the fundamental and conceptual underpinnings of mental health, well-being and wellness from a gender perspective, in order to present an overview of mental health through a holistic gender lens. The second section focuses on the mental health scenario in India, examining the epidemiological data and etiology of mental illness from a psychosocial standpoint. Lastly, the third section shares field-based narratives that reflect the multifaceted challenges related to the treatment of mental illness, inclusion and the promotion of positive mental health. It also includes success stories in diverse settings. The book is an indispensable read for scholars and professionals in psychology, sociology, gender studies and social work.

The second edition of A Handbook for the Study of Mental Health provides a comprehensive review of the sociology of mental health. Chapters by leading scholars and researchers present an overview of historical, social and institutional frameworks. Part I examines social factors that shape psychiatric diagnosis and the measurement of mental health and illness, theories that explain the definition and treatment of mental disorders and cultural variability. Part II investigates effects of social context, considering class, gender, race and age, and the critical role played by stress, marriage, work and social support. Part III focuses on the organization, delivery and evaluation of mental health services, including the criminalization of mental illness, the challenges posed by HIV, and the importance of stigma. This is a key research reference source that will be useful to both undergraduates and graduate students studying mental health and illness from any number of disciplines.

This book presents a concise and comprehensive overview of the most important protective and risk factors for women's health, and reviews the main areas of medical science from a gender perspective. Numerous scientific experiments and studies have shown how gender differences significantly affect the clinical presentation of physical and mental health disorders as well as responses to treatments. This text highlights these issues, while at the same time reflecting on the practical implications of the theoretical knowledge presented. It also examines the organization of social and health services, which should increasingly take into account the specificities related to gender differences and where equality is based on truly embracing these differences. The final part provides insights into the experiences and testimonies collected by the authors of the book. Written by a multidisciplinary team of medical, psychosocial and humanities professionals, this book is of interest to health professionals and medical students.

Gender has a fundamental influence on the human brain, not only by virtue of biological and hormonal differences between the sexes but also because of the impact of gender-specific cultural, social, anthropological and environmental factors. Nevertheless, the relation of gender and psychopathology remains a largely neglected field. Gender perspective has been treated as a paradigm in this book on psychopathology because it determines the way in which a psychiatric symptom is defined, perceived and understood. This conception of gender as being of key importance in the definition of psychiatric symptomatology is exceptional in the literature. The book opens by examining historical and cultural aspects of mental health in women worldwide and the relation of sex, brain and gender, with coverage of both neurobiological and psychosocial aspects. The significance of gender with regard to specific aspects of psychopathology is then addressed in detail. A wide range of psychological disorders are considered, as well as hormonal influences and issues concerning body image, self identity, sexuality and life instinct. It is hoped that this book will make a significant contribution in ensuring that gender perspective receives due attention within descriptive psychopathology.

This book examines sex and gender differences in the causes and expression of medical conditions, including mental health disorders. Sex differences are variations attributable to individual reproductive organs and the XX or XY chromosomal complement. Gender differences are variations that result from biological sex as well as individual self-representation which include psychological, behavioural, and social consequences of an individual’s perceived gender. Gender is still a neglected field in psychopathology, and gender differences is often incorrectly used as a synonym of sex differences. A reconsideration of the definition of gender, as the term that subsumes masculinity and femininity, could shed some light on this misperception and could have an effect in the study of health and disease. This second edition of Psychopathology clarifies the anthropological, cultural and social aspects of gender and their impact on mental health disorders. It focuses on gender perspective as a paradigm not only in psychopathology but also in mental health disorders. As such it promotes open mindedness in the definition and perception of symptoms, as well as assumptions about those symptoms, and raises awareness of mental health.

This book brings together various threads of research in the field of gender mainstreaming. It aids in further supporting and understanding the role of gender in health and safety research, practice, and policy. It looks at gender mainstreaming as being recognised as key in cultivating sustainable worker health and working systems due to it being a central component of many international policy initiatives. This book deals with gender mainstreaming being advocated at a policy level, while focusing on the limited recognition and discourse on the issue of gender and its direct and indirect association to workers’ health in the field of occupational health and safety. This book addresses problems facing gender-sensitive policies and outlines and reflects upon current best practice principles and practices to support the development and implementation of policies, interventions, and research initiatives.

The Psychology of Gender and Health: Conceptual and Applied Global Concerns examines the psychological aspects of the intersection between gender and health and the ways in which they relate to the health of individuals and populations. It demonstrates how gender should be strategically considered in the most routine research tasks—from establishing priorities, constructing theory, designing methodologies, in data interpretation, and how to practically apply this information in clinical contexts. The topics covered in its chapters answer the needs of professionals, students, and faculty, providing an up-to-date conceptual tool that covers the relationships that exist between gender and health. The book will not only help users build expertise in psychology in gender and health, but also contribute to the awareness and training of psychologists as dynamic actors in the implementation of the gender perspective in their studies, reflections, research, and health interventions. Offers specific literature on the gender perspective in health and psychology Addresses a broad and diverse audience, and its coverage is uniquely comprehensive Utilizes an intersectional approach to race, class, sexual orientation, nationality, disability status, and age Updates on the pressing concerns of gender violence Covers specific content on transgender and same-sex attracted populations that includes a focus on men and masculinity Deals with hot topics on infertility, immigration, and HIV/AIDS