Francine de Montigny

The transition to fatherhood: the role of formal and informal support structures during the post-partum period

A transicao para a paternidade e um momento na vida de um individuo que solicita suas capacidades de adaptacao. A qualidade do suporte social da qual dispoem os pais e um elemento importante em sua adaptacao a seu novo papel. O objetivo deste estudo correlacional, realizado com 160 casais de pais de primeira viagem do Quebec, foi compreender as fontes de apoio promovidas pelos pais e pelas maes, em periodo pos-natal, suas caracteristicas, e examinar a natureza das relacoes entre as percepcoes de suporte social, a eficacia parental e a ansiedade parental. Analises multivariadas revelaram que o suporte social, para estes pais, nao agia como fator de protecao das percepcoes de eficacia parental. Entretanto, as praticas de auxilio das enfermeiras contribuiam para as percepcoes de apoio dos pais, assim como para suas percepcoes da eficacia parental.La transicion para la paternidad es un momento en la vida que requiere de la capacidad de adaptacion de un individuo. La calidad del apoyo social que reciben los padres se considera como un elemento importante en la adaptacion para su nuevo rol. Estudio correlacional, que abarca cerca de 160 parejas de padres primerizos de Quebec, Canada, el objetivo fue comprender las fuentes de apoyo del padre y la madre durante el periodo postnatal, asi como, sus caracteristicas. Ademas, este estudio pretendia examinar la naturaleza de la relacion entre las percepciones del apoyo social, la eficacia y la ansiedad de la paternidad. Los analisis multivariados revelaron que, para estos padres, el apoyo social no actua como un factor de proteccion de sus percepciones para la eficacia de la paternidad. Sin embargo, las practicas de ayuda de las enfermeras contribuyeron para las percepciones de apoyo de los padres, como para las percepciones de la misma.

Puppets as a strategy for communication with Brazilian children with cancer.

Children are considered competent social actors. Although they are able to express their opinions, they may have some difficulties in answering direct verbal questions, requiring researchers and health professionals to enter their world by using auxiliary resources for communication. This study presents the experience of using finger puppets as a playful strategy for improving interaction and communication with hospitalized children with cancer, aged seven to 12. It describes the strategy of making and using puppets as an auxiliary tool to communicate with children with cancer and presents the results and limitations of using puppets in clinical practice. The use of the puppets, creatively and in accordance with the childrens motor, cognitive, and emotional development, showed benefits, such as allowing the children to freely express themselves; respecting their autonomy; and minimizing the hierarchical adult-child relationship. The use of puppets is an appropriate strategy to communicate with hospitalized children. This tool can also enrich clinical practice, as it encourages children with cancer to report their experience of being ill and also helps the health team during evaluation and intervention.

Spousal positive social control and men’s health behaviors and self-efficacy The influence of age and relationship satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between spousal positive social control (SPSC) and men’s health behaviors. This study also tested the mediating effect of health self-efficacy in this relationship and the moderating effects of age and relationship satisfaction (RS) in the association between SPSC and health behaviors and self-efficacy. A total of 506 unionized male workers answered a questionnaire assessing their level of health self-efficacy, how often they performed various health behaviors, and their perceptions of the frequency with which their spouse used positive social control to influence their health. Results indicated that SPSC was positively associated with health behaviors and that this association was mediated by health self-efficacy. Moderation analysis indicated that, for middle-aged and older men, SPSC was only positively associated with health self-efficacy when RS was high. Also, for older men only, when RS was low, SPSC had a backfiring effect and was negatively associated with health self-efficacy. Finally, results indicated the presence of a moderated mediation with the indirect effect of SPSC on health behaviors through health self-efficacy being moderated by age and relationship satisfaction. By indicating more precisely how, with whom, and under what circumstances SPSC can be beneficial or not, the results from this study have important implications for interventions promoting men’s health.

Health-Promoting Home and Workplace Neighborhoods Associations With Multiple Facets of Men’s Health

Despite the importance of healthy settings for health promotion, little is known about how neighborhood characteristics affect men’s health. The present study aims to explore the associations between perceptions of home and workplace neighborhoods with diverse health outcomes, and to examine mediating mechanisms. A sample of 669 men members of labor unions in Quebec, Canada, completed a questionnaire assessing social and physical aspects of their work and home neighborhoods (the Health-Promoting Neighborhood Questionnaire) as well as subjective and objective health outcomes (perceived health, positive mental health, body mass index) and potential mediators (health behaviors, self-efficacy). Structural equation modeling (path analysis) revealed that the Health-Promoting Neighborhood Questionnaire was associated with all three health outcomes, either directly or indirectly through health behaviors and self-efficacy. Both home and workplace neighborhoods were associated with men’s health, home neighborhood being more strongly associated. The findings suggest that physical and social aspects of neighborhood might contribute to men’s health. The study highlights positive environmental levers for urban planners, policy makers, and health professionals to promote men’s health.

Development of personal identity among refugee adolescents: Facilitating elements and obstacles

This qualitative study examines what contributes to the development of personal identity among refugee adolescents of African origin who have immigrated to Québec. For this purpose, 12 adolescents participated in individual interviews and in self-recorded interviews. The research findings show that the development of young people’s personal identity is directly and indirectly influenced by personal characteristics, the environmental, and the interpersonal relationships. We identify both elements that facilitate the development of personal identity and obstacles to such development so as to provide better support for health education among refugee adolescents.

Fathers’ integration in Quebec’s perinatal and early childhood public policies

Mothers’ physical and mental health, as well as their socio-economic status, are currently acknowledged as determining factors in the health and development of young children in Quebec. It is thus not surprising to find that the majority of government perinatal and early childhood initiatives are directed toward mothers. Yet, fathers today are increasingly involved in the care and education of their children, and scientific studies have shown that their involvement is just as crucial as that of mothers. It is recognized that a father’s involvement optimizes the physical, cognitive, affective and social development of his children. The purpose of this text is to examine how fathers are taken into account in two public perinatal and early childhood policies. It has been found that fathers are virtually absent from Quebec government’s objectives and orientations, and when they do appear, no concrete means are offered to reach them. Considering that health care workers have difficulty offering truly inclusive services to fathers, recommendations with regard to inclusion of fathers in public policies are necessary in order to optimize the health of children and their families.RésuméLa santé physique et mentale ainsi que le statut socio-économique des mères sont actuellement reconnus comme étant déterminants dans la santé et le développement des jeunes enfants du Québec. Il n’est donc pas surprenant de constater qu’elles constituent la majorité des cibles d’actions gouvernementales en périnatalité et petite enfance. Pourtant, les pères d’aujourd’hui sont de plus en plus impliqués dans les soins et l’éducation de leurs enfants et les écrits scientifiques démontrent que leur engagement est aussi crucial que celui des mères. Il est reconnu que l’engagement du père optimise le développement physique, cognitif, affectif et social de ses enfants. Ce texte vise à examiner l’espace qui leur est accordé dans les différentes politiques publiques de périnatalité et de petite enfance. Il apparaît que le père est à peu près absent des objectifs et orientations gouvernementales et lorsqu’il s’y retrouve, aucun moyen concret n’est proposé pour les atteindre. Alors qu’il est connu que les intervenants ont de la difficulté à offrir des services véritablement inclusifs des pères, il semble pertinent, voire urgent, de se questionner à propos d’un tel constat si l’on souhaite optimiser la santé des enfants et de leur famille.

Becoming a parent: a model of parents' post-partum experience

Perceber-se como pai e um desafio grande na transicao para a paternidade. A importância do papel dos profissionais da area da saude na determinacao dessa percepcao apos o nascimento dos filhos tem sido pouco explorada . O objetivo deste estudo e analisar as relacoes entre a eficacia percebida por pais primiparos e sua percepcao do auxilio recebido das enfermeiras, e dos acontecimentos importantes no periodo posparto. AMOSTRAGEM E METODO: 160 casais participaram de um estudo correlacional preenchendo questionarios apos o nascimento de seu primeiro filho. RESULTADOS: Um modelo da experiencia pos-parto foi estabelecido, no qual a colaboracao das enfermeiras e seu auxilio contribuiram diretamente e indiretamente para a percepcao do controle e dos acontecimentos pelos pais. Elas contribuem indiretamente para a percepcao da propria eficacia pelos pais. IMPLICACOES: O auxilio dado pelos profissionais da saude, principalmente pelas enfermeiras, aos pais apos o nascimento de uma crianca, faz uma diferenca positiva importante nas experiencias dos pais.

Using Art to Stimulate Interactional Thinking in a Family Nursing Clinical Practicum

Teaching the practice skills offamily nursing is a challenge. Very little has been written about educational strategies that invite students to reflect on their own personal family experiences to enhance their awareness of the impact of these life experiences on their nursing care offamilies. This article describes the use of art as a teaching and learning strategy that facilitates interactional thinking infamily systems nursing.Teaching the practice skills offamily nursing is a challenge. Very little has been written about educational strategies that invite students to reflect on their own personal family experiences to enhance their awareness of the impact of these life experiences on their nursing care offamilies. This article describes the use of art as a teaching and learning strategy that facilitates interactional thinking infamily systems nursing.

Fathers’ Perspectives on Their Relationship With Their Infant in the Context of Breastfeeding

Research has demonstrated beneficial effects on children’s development of both breastfeeding and fathers’ involvement. Evidence has also shown that breastfeeding could influence paternal behaviors. Since there is little data available on paternal representations of breastfeeding and on its effects on paternal involvement, the aim of the present study is to bridge that gap by examining fathers’ perceptions of their relationship with their infant in the context of breastfeeding. Semistructured interviews were carried out with 43 fathers of an infant who had been exclusively breast-fed for a minimum of 6 months. These were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The fathers identified some impacts of breastfeeding on the father–infant relationship. Feeding their infant themselves appeared to be a determining moment in this relationship. These results highlight the relevance of supporting early father–infant bonding in the breastfeeding context.

Protocol for evaluation of the continuum of primary care in the case of a miscarriage in the emergency room: a mixed-method study

BackgroundIn Quebec (Canada), nearly 20,000 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and the majority of the miscarriages are dealt with in an emergency unit. Although there are studies documenting the effects of this type of grief on mental health, men’s experiences are much less discussed than those of women. Similarly, no study has evaluated best practices in terms of service continuity, from emergency care to community resources. The aim of this study is to better understand the relationships that exist between the organization of emergency room and primary care health services for women presenting with miscarriage, on the one hand, and the positions and experiences of women and men within these services, on the other.MethodsThe general objective of this mixed-method study can be broken down into three methodological sections. Focus 1. Institutional discourses and practices. This section is structured as a multiple case study of the mandates of five participant institutions. The study will involve (a) a documentary analysis; (b) a quantitative survey (N: 200) and (c) group interviews (N: 75) with caregivers and emergency unit managers. Focus 2. Women’s and men’s experiences of miscarriages and the institutional response. This section includes (a) a survey (N: 232) and (b) individual interviews (N: 80) designed to identify best practices in emergency involving women and their partners in each area. Focus 3. This section will integrate the information furnished by the first two sections in order to create an ethnographic overview of the situation.DiscussionThis innovative project will provide answers to critical questions on how to improve the effectiveness and quality of interdisciplinary and multisectoral interventions to promote the mental health and psychosocial well-being of couples having experienced a miscarriage. It will have a material effect on the organization of emergency services and of the primary care pathway for women experiencing a miscarriage and for their partners.Trial registrationNot applicable. This study involves a retrospective view of usual health care interventions. This study is not a clinical trial that prospectively assigns human participants or groups of humans to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes.