1. Women and Mental Health – Prevention, Screening and Management
NHS - February 26, 2014

2. Depression & Stress?

4. Research evidence show that men and women have differential mental health risks
Why Women?
Environment ( Work, Home)
Triple Burden
Psycho-social(expectations, marriage, family, male-child, extended family etc.)

5. Women’s Triple Role Burden
Reproductive: Childbirth and care
Domestic: Food preparation, washing, cleaning, cooking etc.
Productive: Wage earning and income-generating activities
Women’s heavy workload is time-consuming
Women’s heavy workload is time-consuming

6. Gender socialization theory in stress management:
Women show high internalizing responses to stress
Men show high externalizing responses to stress
(Ostrov, offer & Howard 1989)

7. Social model of mental health explains the stressors faced by women beyond the reproductive such as:
Low paid jobs
Unemployment
Emotional & sexual violence
Psychological costs of home making and child rearing

8. Anxiety and depression
Common during pregnancy in Pakistani women
Rates are highest in women experiencing sexual/physical abuse
Increased among women with unemployed spouses and those with lower household wealth.
(Karmaliani & Asad,2008)

9. Women experiencing verbal and emotional abuse during pregnancy have higher rates of suicidal ideation and attempts
(Asad &Karmaliani, 2010)

10. Risk of depression Married women than single women
Increasing age, lower educational levels, the presence of in-laws, heavy household work and pregnancy symptoms
(Kazi 2000)
(Fikree, 1999; Khan, 1998)

11. Management
Mental health services integrated within the primary health care
Screening for mental health problems integrated within routine antenatal and post natal checkups

12. Socio-cultural Work-life balance
Negotiating for sharing of responsibility
Career counseling.
Economic independence
Better vocational and recreational opportunities for women

13. Woman’s Role
Coping Resources