Ovarian cancer patients experience high levels of anxiety and depression, yet there is little research regarding coping and support of this population. In this study we examined the experiences of women during diagnosis and treatment via 30 semistructured interviews. The interviews were analyzed qualitatively, and five main themes were evident: (1) extreme blunting; (2) having a "forgotten cancer"; (3) traumatic surprise of diagnosis; (4) highs and lows of health care; and (5) support gap experienced postdiagnosis. Currently, there is no readily accessible psychosocial/educational information source for these patients. It is likely that a telephone intervention would be the most effective solution.

This study presents data on male perpetrators of domestic violence (DV) in the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) using two samples: (a) a snapshot of all male offenders in CSC who had been assessed for DV (n = 15,166) and (b) a cumulative sample of male offenders in CSC from 2002-2010 who had been assessed as moderate or high risk for further DV (n = 4,261) DV offenders were compared to a cohort sample of non-DV offenders (n = 4,261). Analyses were disaggregated for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal offenders. Results indicated that 40% of the federal male population had a suspected history of DV and were therefore screened in for in-depth DV risk assessment. Of these, 45% were assessed as moderate or high risk for future DV. DV offenders had higher risk and criminogenic need ratings, more learning disabilities, more mental health problems, and more extensive criminal histories than those without DV histories. Aboriginal DV offenders had high levels of alcohol dependence, suggesting a need for substance abuse treatment as part of DV programming. Most federal offenders with DV histories would be described as belonging to the Antisocial/Generalized Aggressive typology and, therefore, adhering to the Risk-Need-Responsivity principles of the effective correctional literature, cognitive-behavioral treatment that focuses on teaching skills of self-management, and changing attitudes supporting relationship violence would be recommended.

Background Rates of self‐harm are high among prisoners. Most research focuses on the vulnerable prisoner, and there is little on the impact of these behaviours on staff. Aims To investigate staff perceptions of self‐harming behaviours by prisoners, including their views on its causes, manifestation, prevention in institutions, and impact on them. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 administrative and 21 therapeutic prison staff who are responsible in various ways for prisoners who self‐harm. Their narratives were explored using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results Despite prison staff being experienced with prisoners' self‐harming behaviours, including severe acts of self‐harm, they were apt to reject any negative impact on their own mental health or well‐being. This denial of negative impact was accompanied by perceptions of the inmate's actions being manipulative and attention seeking. Prison staff also perceived institutional responses to self‐harming behaviours by prisoners as being mixed, ambiguous, or showing preference for relying on existing suicide protocols rather than task‐specific guidance. Conclusions Although staff gave explanations of prisoner self‐harm in terms of “manipulative behaviour,” prisoners' self‐harm is, in fact, complex, challenging, and often severe. This staff perception may reflect denial of impact of often distressing behaviours on them personally and their own coping mechanisms. This could be feeding in to a perceived lack of clear and effective institutional responses to the self‐harm, so further research is needed to determine how staff could broaden their views, and respond more effectively to prisoners. Psychologically informed group work and/or reflective practice are among the candidates for such help for staff.

Background:International health studies have shown that inmates have higher rates of infectious diseases, chronic diseases and psychiatric disorders relative to the general population. We conducted a systematic collection of data on chronic physical health conditions reported by newly admitted inmates in Canadian federal penitentiaries.Methods: Over a 6-month period from April to September 2012, we collected and analyzed data from a standardized health interview routinely conducted with consenting incoming male inmates (n = 2273). Prevalence rates of health conditions were determined and disaggregated by age (< 50 yr and ≥ 50 yr) and by Aboriginal status. Results:The most common health conditions reported by respondents were head injury (34.1%), back pain (19.3%), asthma (14.7%) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (9.4%). Rates of many health conditions were higher among inmates 50 years of age or older than among younger inmates. Compared with their non-Aboriginal counterparts, Aboriginal inmates had higher rates of head injury and HCV infection. Interpretation:Our study provides a benchmark that can be used to examine health trends within Canada's federal penitentiaries over time and points to subgroups of newly admitted inmates for whom health services may need to be concentrated. Abstract Research CMAJ OPEN E98CMAJ OPEN, 3(1)

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a complex behavior that is not uncommon in the general population, yet little is known about the prevalence of this behavior among incarcerated women. Two studies were conducted to determine the prevalence and incidence of NSSI in federally sentenced Canadian women. In Study 1, a mixed-methods design that included a qualitative interview and a written questionnaire with a sample of 150 incarcerated women was used. In Study 2, archival data were analyzed for a random sample of 400 incarcerated women. Results indicated lifetime prevalence rates of NSSI ranging from 24% to 38%. Incidence of self-injury in a federal institution over a 1-year period was found to be 3.6 per 27.4 person-years (i.e., number of years incarcerated). Both studies indicated that for the majority of women in both samples, NSSI was first initiated in the community, prior to incarceration in a federal correctional institution.