A NURSING PRACTICE PARADIGM FOR DEPRESSED RURAL WOMEN - THE WOMENS AFFECTIVE-ILLNESS TREATMENT PROGRAM

Major depressive disorder (MDD) results from a complex interplay of bi ological, psychological, and social factors that act as historical and contemporary antecedents. To promote and maintain recovery from depre ssion women with MDD must understand their depression risk, act to red uce symptoms, and maintain a lifetime program of relapse prevention. T his requires self-care skills including self-assessment, stress respon se reduction, and health behavior modification. The Women's Affective Illness Treatment Program (WAIT) is a skill-based depression recovery program that addresses the complex cause of major depressive disorder in women. WAIT is based on the Nursing Practice Paradigm described in a previously published article. Copyright (C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Co mpany.