Mothers’ work–family conflict and enrichment:associations with parenting quality and couple relationship

Background Employment participation of mothers of young children has steadily increased in developed nations. Combining work and family roles can create conflicts with family life, but can also bring enrichment.Work–family conflict and enrichment experienced by mothers may also impact children’s home environments via parenting behaviour and the couple relationship, particularly in the early years of parenting when the care demands for young children is high. Methods In order to examine these associations, while adjusting for a wide range of known covariates of parenting and relationship quality, regression models using survey data from 2151 working mothers of 4- to 5-year-old children are reported. Results/Conclusion Results provided partial support for the predicted independent relationships between work–family conflict, enrichment and indicators of the quality of parenting and the couple relationship

Maternal work-family conflict and psychological distress: reciprocal relationships over 8 years

The relationships between employed mothers' work-family conflict and psychological distress are unlikely to be static or one way. Using longitudinal data, the authors investigated reciprocal effects between work-family conflict and psychological distress across 8 years of the family life cycle. They modeled cross-lagged structural equations over 5 biennial waves of data, in 4 overlapping samples of Australian mothers reentering work between child ages 0-1 to 8-9 (N range: 1,027-2,449). The findings revealed that work-family conflict and psychological distress are distinctive aspects of mothers' well-being that influence each other over time. Reciprocal influences were not confined to one period of parenting but continued as children grew older. Associations persisted after controlling for a range of work and family characteristics, and there was no evidence of mediation by family socioeconomic status, maternal age, or job quality. The findings suggest that employed mothers may benefit from policies and workplace practices that both promote maternal well-being and reduce conflicts between employment and raising children

Cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with ARVC and family members: the potential role of native T1 mapping

Left ventricular (LV) involvement in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is not evaluated in the revised Task Force Criteria, possibly leading to underdiagnosis. This study explored the diagnostic role of myocardial native T1 mapping in patients with ARVC and their first-degree relatives. Thirty ARVC patients (47% males, mean age 45 ± 27 years) and 59 first-degree relatives not meeting diagnostic criteria underwent CMR with native T1 mapping. C MR was abnormal in 26 (87%) patients with ARVC. The right ventricle was affected in isolation in 13 (43%) patients. Prior to T1 mapping assessment, 2 (7%) patients exhibited isolated LV involvement and 11 (36%) patients showed features of biventricular disease. Left ventricular involvement was manifest as detectable LV late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in 12 out of 13 cases. According to pre-specified inter-ventricular septal (IVS) T1 mapping thresholds, 11 (37%) patients revealed raised native T1 values including 5 out of the 17 patients who would otherwise have been classified as exhibiting a normal LV by conventional imaging parameters. Native septal T1 values were elevated in 22 (37%) of the 59 first-degree relatives included. Biventricular involvement is commonly observed in ARVC; native myocardial T1 values are raised in more than one third of patients, including a significant proportion of cases that would have been otherwise classified as exhibiting a normal LV using conventional CMR techniques. The significance of abnormal T1 values in first-degree relatives at risk will need validation through longitudinal studies

Benefits, Barriers and Enablers of Breastfeeding: Factor Analysis of Population Perceptions in Western Australia

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate knowledge and community perceptions of breastfeeding in Western Australia using a factor analysis approach. Methods: Data were pooled from five Nutrition Monitoring Survey Series which included information on breastfeeding from 4,802 Western Australian adults aged 18–64 years. Tetrachoric factor analysis was conducted for data reduction and significant associations identified using logistic, ordinal and poisson regression analyses. Results: Four factors were derived for benefits (it’s natural, good nutrition, good for the baby, and convenience), barriers (breastfeeding problems, poor community acceptability, having to go back to work, and inconvenience) and for enablers (breastfeeding education, community support, family support and not having to work).As assessed by standardized odds ratios the most important covariates across benefit factors were: importance of breastfeeding (ORs range from 1.22–1.44),female gender (ORs range from 0.80 to 1.46), being able to give a time for how long a baby should be breastfed (ORs range from 0.96 to 1.27) and education (less than high school to university completion) (ORs range from 0.95 to 1.23); the most important covariate across barrier factors was being able to give a time for how long a baby should be breastfed (ORs range from 0.89 to 1.93); and the most important covariates across all enabling factors were education (ORs range from 1.14 to1.32) and being able to give a time for how long a baby should be breastfed (ORs range from 1.17 to 1.42).Conclusions: Being female, rating breastfeeding as important, believing that babies should be breastfed for a period of time and education accounted for most of the statistically significant associations. The differences between male and female perceptions require investigation particularly in relation to returning to work

The role of micro-organisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans) in the pathogenesis of breast pain and infection in lactating women: study protocol

Background: The CASTLE (Candida and Staphylococcus Transmission: Longitudinal Evaluation) study will investigate the micro-organisms involved in the development of mastitis and &ldquo;breast thrush&rdquo; among breastfeeding women. To date, the organism(s) associated with the development of breast thrush have not been identified. The CASTLE study will also investigate the impact of physical health problems and breastfeeding problems on maternal psychological health in the early postpartum period.Methods/Design: The CASTLE study is a longitudinal descriptive study designed to investigate the role of Staphylococcus spp (species) and Candida spp in breast pain and infection among lactating women, and to describe the transmission dynamics of S. aureus and Candida spp between mother and infant. The relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum health problems as well as maternal psychological well-being is also being investigated. A prospective cohort of four hundred nulliparous women who are at least thirty six weeks gestation pregnant are being recruited from two hospitals in Melbourne, Australia (November 2009 to June 2011). At recruitment, nasal, nipple (both breasts) and vaginal swabs are taken and participants complete a questionnaire asking about previous known staphylococcal and candidal infections. Following the birth, participants are followed-up six times: in hospital and then at home weekly until four weeks postpartum. Participants complete a questionnaire at each time points to collect information about breastfeeding problems and postpartum health problems. Nasal and nipple swabs and breast milk samples are collected from the mother. Oral and nasal swabs are collected from the baby. A telephone interview is conducted at eight weeks postpartum to collect information about postpartum health problems and breastfeeding problems, such as mastitis and nipple and breast pain.Discussion: This study is the first longitudinal study of the role of both staphylococcal and candidal colonisation in breast infections and will help to resolve the current controversy about which is the primary organism in the condition known as breast thrush. This study will also document transmission dynamics of S. aureus and Candida spp between mother and infant. In addition, CASTLE will investigate the impact of common maternal physical health symptoms and the effect of breastfeeding problems on maternal psychological well-being.<br /