title: Raising families: urban women's experiences of requiring support.
abstract: Rapid social changes and the pressures of contemporary living have put families under increasing stress. Nurses have the potential to offer support for families experiencing stress. Therefore, it behoves nurses to develop a greater understanding of the stressors affecting families in contemporary Australia. This paper reports an exploratory descriptive study of urban women's experiences of dealing with difficult and demanding situations in their lives as mothers and family carers in contemporary Australian society, and explores women's experiences of seeking support for family issues. Participants' insights about the nature and availability of support for themselves and their families when in these stressful situations are revealed. Participants sought support from various personal networks, community and self help groups, and professional helpers. However, adequate support was not always available. Nurses have the potential to further develop their role in relation to providing support to women raising families.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Family and Community Health, University of Western Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mannix
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faga
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gillies
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D003256:Community Participation; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D019513:Feminism; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D033262:Narration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012922:Social Change; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D016387:Women's Health