Gender awareness, symptom expressions and Irish mental health-care provision

Bergin, Michael and Wells, John S.G. and Owen, Sara (2014) Gender awareness, symptom expressions and Irish mental health-care provision. Journal of Gender Studies. ISSN 0958-9236

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Abstract

Irish mental health policy and care provision is criticised for being gender-neutral despite gender being present in almost every aspect of illness; from risk to protection; symptom interpretation; diagnosing, ideology and knowledge of illnesses. The aim of this paper was to present the views of Irish service users and providers in relation to symptom expressions, gender awareness and care provision. A qualitative social realist design was used using Layder’s (1998) adaptive theory and social domains theory. Indepth interviews (n ¼ 54) with 26 service users and 28 service providers were conducted within one mental health service in Ireland. Dominant societal expectations for men and women are described in response to symptom expressions that reflect ‘categorical’ and ‘performative’ understandings of gender. A return of interest to symptoms-based research and practice from a gendered perspective is argued for. Keywords: symptoms; masculinities; femininities; mental health care; Ireland

Item Type:	Article
Departments or Groups:	*NONE OF THESE*
Divisions:	School of Health Sciences
SWORD Depositor:	Hellen Kang Griffith
Depositing User:	John Wells
Date Deposited:	25 Nov 2014 12:08
Last Modified:	22 Aug 2016 10:27
URI:	https://repository.wit.ie/id/eprint/2972

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