Stressful life events in countries of differing economic development: Nicaragua, Chile, and Spain

Determining factors in the overall happiness and outlook for the future of women living homeless: Evidence from Madrid, Spain

People living homeless are quite heterogeneous groups, including different subgroups with specific characteristics that vary substantially. Within this group, women living homeless are an understudied subgroup with specific necessities which in most cases have not been addressed in general studies related to the group. The present study examines determining factors that influence the levels of overall happiness and outlook for the future of women living homeless. To fulfill this objective, a survey was conducted on a group of women living homeless in the city of Madrid (Spain). The results of a structural equation modeling analysis found that having a larger and stable social support network, loneliness, and good health conditions without any problems associated with drug abuse are the main factors influencing their levels of overall happiness and their outlook for the future. The proposed model has also shown that stressful life events play an important role in the analysis, unlike economic aspects, which have a limited impact on their situation. This article provides new information and innovation in research about homelessness, in particular women living homeless, thus being important for extending and replicating its findings to an international context.

The lived experience of psychosis in Nicaragua: a qualitative examination of the views of service users

BACKGROUND

The experience of psychosis is individual and influenced by a complex intersection of identity, thought processes, perceptions and culture. Little is known about the lived experience of psychosis in Nicaragua.

AIM

To explore the subjective experience of psychosis in Nicaragua from the perspectives of service users.

METHODS

Focus groups with 28 service users with experience of psychosis. A qualitative analysis using both inductive and deductive approaches was used to analyse these data.

RESULTS

Participants mostly attributed the onset of psychosis to external factors such as physical or psychological trauma and highlighted the impact of long-term conflict in the area. Whilst medication was generally viewed positively where this was available participants foregrounded lay and community support networks and engagement in valued activities in their narratives about the management of psychosis. Religious and magical forces were salient in participants' accounts of causal pathways, wider Nicaraguan culture and management practices. Stigma, social exclusion and limited access to formal health services and psychological interventions in particular were the major barriers reported to recovery from psychosis.

CONCLUSION

Our findings point to the potential utility of culturally adapted psychological interventions in Nicaragua as well as the value of lay and community workforces in delivering such interventions.