Updated IAWMH Banner

Newsletter

Editorial Board

Editor in Chief:
Unaiza Niaz (Pakistan)
 
Michaela Amering (Austria)
Teri Pearlstein (USA) 
Aslihan Pohat (Turkey)
Donna Sewart (Canada)
  
In This Issue
Editor's Welcome
President's Welcome
Perinatal Seminar / Colombia
WPA / Nicaragua
Membership
Upcoming Events

Cherry Trees 

Save the Date!

6th World Congress on Women's

Mental Health

22-25 March 2015

Keio Plaza Hotel

Tokyo, Japan

  

Co-Hosted by the 

International Association for Women's Mental Health and the

Institute of Women's Heath, Tokyo Women's Medical University

 

Future details to be announced.

  

IAWMH Leadership

For detailed info -  click here!

 

President:

Marta B. Rondon (Peru)

Vice President:

Helen Herrman (Australia)

Immediate Past President:

Anita Riecher-Rössler

(Switzerland)

Treasurer:

Susan G. Kornstein (USA)

Secretary:

Silvia Lucia Gaviria (Colombia)

 

Advisory Board:

- Prabha Chandra (India)
- Marina Díaz Marsa
   (Spain)
- Jayashri Kulkarni
    (Australia)

- Unaiza Niaz (Pakistan)

- Teri Pearlstein (USA)

- Donna Sewart (Canada)

About IAWMH

Established in 2001 to improve the mental health of women throughout the world,  the International Association for Women's Mental Health is a Not for Profit, Non-Governmental Organization.

 

The mission of IAWMH is:

 

-  To improve the mental health of women throughout the world.

 

 -  To expand the fund of knowledge about Women's Mental Health.

 

-  To promote gender-sensitive and autonomy-enhancing mental health

services for women.

 

-  To advance collaboration between Societies and Sections.

 

For more information:  www.iawmh.org  

 

Click here to download

 

IAWMH Consensus Statement on Women's Mental Health and the WPA Statement on Interpersonal Violence Against Women

 

 

These have been approved by all national psychiatric associations (130+) which belong to WPA. 

 

 

We're looking for good ideas! Yours!

 

Please submit suggestions for future newsletter items, personal news, or even suggested topics for the next meeting.   We would like to include member reports on existing and ongoing programs.  Tell us what you are doing so that we can share with others around the world.

 

Send them to info@iawmh.org

  
Upcoming Events

Presentations by IAWMH Members

in Upcoming Events
WPA Meeting
Vienna

27-30 October 2013

WMH-Section

Symposium "Does Globalization Affect Women's Mental Health"

Helen Herrman, Chair

Michaela Amering, Co-Chair

Speakers:

Marta Rondon

Donna Stewart

Unaiza Niaz

 

Symposium "Psychiatry in the Developing World"

Unaiza Niaz - presenting:

The Role of Women Professional & Non Professional Mental Health Careers in in the Developing World

 

Zonal Symposium on "Human Rights for Women Psychiatric Patients"

Donna Stewart - presenting

 

2013 Perinatal Mental Health Meeting, Chicago, IL

November 8, 2013

Symposium  "Nonpharmacological Interventions for Perinatal Depression"

Chair and Presenter:

Teri Pearlstein

  

27-26 February 2014

Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia 

International Women's Mental Health Conference

Sponsored by Medical Services Department, Armed Forces of Arabia

Keynote Speakers:

Marta Rondon

Unaiza Niaz

 

 

Selected Publications by
IAWMH Members

Domestic Violence and Perinatal Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Howard LM, Oram S, Galley H, Trevillion K, Feder G.

PLoS Med. 2013;10(5):e1001452. doi:

10.1371/journal.pmed.1001452. Epub 2013 May 28.

 

Interventions for Preventing or Reducing Domestic Violence Against Pregnant Women.

Jahanfar S, Janssen PA,

Howard LM, Dowswell T. 

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Feb 28;2

 

Intimate Partner Violence.

Stewart DE, MacMillan H, Wathen N.  Can J Psychiatry. 2013 Jun;58(6):Insert 1 - 15, Encart 1-17

 

Resilience and resources among South Asian immigrant women as survivors of partner violence. 
Ahmad F, Rai N, Petrovic B, Erickson PE, Stewart DE
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 2013 DOI 10.1007/s10903-013-9836-2. 

 

Developing Population Interventions with Migrant Women for Maternal-child Health: A Focused Ethnography.

Gagnon AJ, Carnevale F, Mehta P, Rousseau H, Stewart DE.

BMC Public Health. 2013 May 14;13:471.

 

Residual Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder: Prevalence, Effects, and Management.

Zajecka J, Kornstein SG, Blier P.J Clin Psychiatry. 2013 Apr;74(4):407-14.

 

Strain and its Correlates Among Careers of People with Dementia in Low-income and Middle-income Countries. A 10/66 Dementia Research Group Population-based Survey.

Prince M, Brodaty H, Uwakwe R, Acosta D, Ferri CP, Guerra M, Huang Y, Jacob KS, Llibre Rodriguez JJ, Salas A, Sosa AL, Williams JD, Jotheeswaran AT, Liu Z.

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012 Jul;27(7):670-82

 

The Clinical Relevance of Self-Reported Premenstrual Worsening of Depressive Symptoms in the Management of Depressed Outpatients: A STAR*D Report.

Haley CL, Sung SC, Rush AJ, Trivedi MH, Wisniewski SR, Luther JF, Kornstein SG.

J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2013 Mar;22(3):219-29.

 

Inflammatory Activation and Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory System in Eating Disorders.

MacDowell KS, Díaz-Marsá M, Güemes I, Rodríguez A, Leza JC, Carrasco JL.

Brain Behav Immun. 2013 Aug;32:33-9.

  

A Pilot Study to Compare Fluoxetine, Calcium, and Placebo in the Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome.

Yonkers KA, Pearlstein TB, Gotman N.  J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2013 Oct;33(5):614-20. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e31829c7697.

 

Circadian Phase Shifts and Mood Across the Perinatal Period in Women with a History of Major Depressive Disorder: A Preliminary Communication.

Sharkey KM, Pearlstein TB, Carskadon MA.  J Affect Disord. 2013 Sep 25;150(3):1103-8.

 

Pharmacologic Treatment of Sex Offenders with Paraphilic Disorder.

Garcia FD, Delavenne HG, Assumpção Ade F, Thibaut F.

Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2013 May;15(5):356

 

Vestibular Insights into Cognition and Psychiatry.

Gurvich C, Maller JJ, Lithgow B, Haghgooie S, Kulkarni J.

Brain Res. 2013 Sep 5
 
Prospective Economic Evaluation of a Peer Support Intervention for Prevention of Postpartum Depression among High-Risk Women in Ontario, Canada.Dukhovny D, Dennis CL, Hodnett E, Weston J, Stewart DE, Mao W, Zupancic JA.
Am J Perinatol. 2013 Sep;30(8):631-42. doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1331029. Epub 2013 Jan 2. 

 

Measurement of depressive symptoms among cardiac outpatients: Should sex differences be considered?

Grace SL, Yee J, Reid R, Stewart DE J Health Psychol. 2013 Apr 30.

  

Effect of referral strategies on access to cardiac rehabilitation among women.Gravely S, Anand S, Grace SL, Stewart DEEur J Prev Cardiol. 2013 Mar 11.
 
Mood and the menstrual cycle.
Romans S, Stewart DE, Kreindler D, Einstein G, Laredo S, Asllani E, Petrovic M, Levitt A, Morgan K, Toner B.   Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2013;82:53-60

Cesarean section rate differences by migration indicators.Gagnon AJ, Van Hulst A, Merry L, George A, Saucier JF, Stanger E, Wahoush O, Stewart DE. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2013 Apr;287(4):633-9. doi: 10.1007/s00404-012-2609-7.
  

Contact us:

International Association for Women's Mental Health
c/o Debra Tucker Associates LLC
8213 Lakenheath Way
Potomac, Maryland 20854 USA
Phone - 1-301-983-6282

 

 www.iawmh.org

Please note:

The views and opinions expressed in these reports are solely those of the individuals noted and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by IAWMH, its leadership or members. 

  
 

Fall 2013

Welcome - Editor's Note

Unaiza

IAWMH members since it was established in 2001, have been actively working to promote the different aspects of WMH, and the vital importance to the health policy making and its crucial role in national development in countries world wide.

 

IAWMH Congresses have focused on the psychosocial, biological and clinical aspects of women's mental health from individual, family, community, society and global perspectives Social issues such as women's social roles, their upbringing and education, their relationships privately as well as at work and their careers, the discrimination, violence and abuse they often suffer from, as well as women's life cycle including childhood, adolescence, peripartum, menopause and aging are vital topics in understanding women's mental health; especially if they were examined from interdisciplinary and multicultural perspectives.

 

Women from a biological point of view are different than men, and worldwide they suffer from more discrimination and violence, which are significant risk factors for mental illness such as depression. Worldwide societies, therefore, should take active measures to reduce discrimination and social disadvantages of women to ensure their mental well-being.

 

Women psychiatrists are now leaders in their countries, especially in Latin, Central and South America, where several national  psychiatric association's presidents are women. 

 

We have a lot of news about our members activities in reports by Drs Silvia Gaviria, Marta Rondon, and Heba Habib from Egypt.

It is great to see that our members are more active in promoting WMH Issues, since last year! Please continue to send news and your academic & clinical activities to share.

 

We look forward to seeing you at the next IAWMH Congress in Tokyo, Japan.  Enjoy the season in your countries. 

 

CHEERS,   Unaiza Niaz

Welcome - President's Message

Marta

Welcome to our Newsletter!

 

I am very pleased to share with you that our next congress will be held on 22-25 March 2015 at the Keio Plaza in Tokyo, Japan, organized  in conjunction with the Institute of Women's Health, Tokyo Women's Medical University.

 

Let me take this chance to thank our President elect Helen Herrman as well as Silvia Gaviria and Susan Kornstein, who have worked very hard, with the valuable professional guidance of our Executive Director, Debby Tucker, to choose the venue and have established a very good arrangement with the representative of Tokyo Women's Medical University, Prof Toshiko Kamo. We are now setting the committees and will soon make our first announcement and call for abstracts.

 

It is timely to extend the most heartfelt welcome to Prof. Kamo and her team, and to express our confidence that the 6th World Congress on Women's Mental Health will be very successful and follow on the tradition of our previous meetings with a comprehensive program and participation of professional from all corners of the world

 

It is also a pleasure to announce that the Peruvian Medical College has granted our attendees at the 5th World Congress credit towards certification in Peru.

 

The World Health Organization has just released guidelines for the response to violence against women (Responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women. WHO clinical and policy guidelines:

http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241548595/en/

This is a publication we hope will strengthen our ability to deal with women affected by violence.

 

Our members have been very active publishing their research, and we'd like to invite you to look at their publications below.

  

Finally, may I remind you that we are still collecting dues for the current year, the Association needs your contribution in order to continue providing a significant meeting point for mental health professionals who work in this field.

Warmest regards to all

  

 

   

Marta B. Rondon, MD

President, International Association for Women's Mental Health 

Congratulations      
APA  
  
Congratulations to Unaiza Niaz, IAWMH Board Member for her 2013 APA, Distinguished Fellowship Award  Pictured from left:
Leah Dickenson,  Unaiza Niaz, Silvia Olarte. 
  
    
  
Dr. Victoria Valdez, member of IAWMH (Guayaquil, Ecuador) has been elected Vice Treasurer of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry for the period 2013-2017.  The Immediate Past President Prof Florence Thibaut (Rouen, France) is also a member of our Association.
  

Prof Unaiza Niaz, has been elected as the Vice President Eastern Mediterranean Region, & Member Board of Directors of The WFMH.

IAWMH REPRESENTATION AT INTERNATIONAL EVENTS     

ISPOG

Marta Rondon, IAWMH President, attended the 17th International Congress of the International Society for Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology (Berlin, May 22-14), as part of the  symposium "Gender and Mental "  convened by Heather Rowe. Dr Rondón spoke about Gender sensitive services, as part of a select group which addressed cutting edge topics: Dr. Vikram Chandra Muti and Dr S Carai (WHO) spoke about the prevention of child marriage; Dr Jane Fisher,  Monash University) gave a presentation on gender stereotypes and fertility care and Dr Heather Rowe (Monash University) dealt with the intimate partner relationship and postpartum depression.

The meeting provided a good opportunity to strengthen ties with ISPOG, as the goals of both ISPOG and IAWMH are similar in regard to improving health care for women.
Pictured above, from left, Dr Carlos Damonte Khoury (incoming President ISPOG), Dr Marta Rondon (IAWMH) with Dr Marienke Paarlberg (President ISPOG) during the 17th International ISPOG meeting, Berlin.
  
Teri Pearlstein also presented three talks at the ISPOG meeting in Berlin:

- Medication Intervention for Perinatal Psychiatric Diosrders

- Managing Core Premenstrual Disorders: A Psychotropic Approach

- Eating Disorders and Reproduction

_______________________________________________________________________
  
Donna Stewart presented at the following international meetings:

June 2013:

Keynote at the Atlantic Psychiatric Association on Psychotropic Drugs During  Pregnancy

May 2013:

Keynote at Panamanian Psychiatric Associatio  on Evidence Based Treatment of Depression in Pregnancy and Perimenopause and Mood

Apr 2013:

Harvard University/MacLean Hospital keynote on Women's Mental Health and Gender Biology, and the Future of WMH

___________________________________________________________________ 

 

 __________________________________________________________________

 

  
  
Report on Perinatal Mental Health Seminar in Colombia

  Colombia Perinatal 1

 

From Silvia Gaviria, IAWMH Secretary:

 

IAWMH  to the CES University, supported a Perinatal Mental Health Seminar, which was held in strategic partnership with the institution "Buen Nacer."  The 2nd and 3rd of August this year, in Medellin.   We had an attendance of 112 people, including psychiatrists, gynecologists, psychologists, pediatricians and occupational therapists. 

 

We had as guests several international speakers, among whom was Dr. Hector

Martinez, Colombian pediatrician who developed the Kangaroo Method, the psychologists Alice Obeirman from  Argentina and Gabriel Bianco from Spain, the psPerinatal Saludychiatrists Gislene Valadares from Brazil and Angela Maria Velez neuropsychiatrist and sleep specialist from University of Texas, San Antonio. This event has aroused great interest in the need exists about  this issue in the field of prevention of mental illness and interdisciplinary work at this area.


It was highlighted issues as  humanized childbirth, prenatal stress approach, mother child bond, perinatal bereavement and How to help and support professionals who care for

women and children during the perinatal period.
 
The results have been very positive, we had attendees from various cities in Colombia, and also from Chile. Chile, a country with good indicators of development and who cares about prevention and health promotion. 


Since the subject begins to have relevance in the political and social agenda in Latin America, it is important to train health professionals in this area.

Report on WPA Conference in Managua, Nicaragua

From Silvia Gaviria, IAWMH Secretary:

 

In the conference organized by the WPA in Nicaragua, which was held in the capital Managua, this congress had a forum for women's mental health and also  I  had one lecture.  Among the important issues raised in the evaluation was to include more mental health issues of women in the WPA upcoming events and also include the issue of women's mental health in the curriculum of the specialization of psychiatry. I think there was a very good assistance, exchange of ideas with the attending psychiatrist as well between the directives of the association in this regard.

 

We talked about the importance of increased participation and visibility of women in the WPA and the impact it has and will have the feminization of medicine and psychiatry, especially with a larger number of women among medical professionals.
  
So it was quite interesting. Also notable is the participation of women in Central America, as more than half of their psychiatric associations presidents are women.
  
We were visiting the hospital in Managua, which is run by a young psychiatrist, who is conducting interesting programs despite the economic difficulties and limited resources.
  
The zonal representative for Central America, Dr. Mauricio Sanchez was the one who organized the conference with the support of WPA. It was really successful event and I think the need to attend as unprotected places.
Report from Egypt about the Effects of the 25th January 2011 Egyptian Revolution, on Egyptian Women      
According to Dr. Heba Habib, of The Psychological Health & Awareness Society in Egypt (PHASE):[1]  The political repression, prevalent in Egypt for the last 50 years, was exerted on all the political parties not in power, including labor unions, women, minorities etc.  The revolution eliminated this repression and endeavored to allow free expression.

 

Since January 2011, a lot of women are starting to be more involved in public life through political activities, social awareness campaigns, and development projects.

Women realized that they existed, that their voice was important. This explains the massive participation of women in the numerous elections that took place since the revolution.  Many feminist movements are sprouting in Egypt now.

The potential consequences of this socio-political change on women mental health are numerous. While it is possible that women will gain access to better health care and more freedom, it will probably take a while and demand the active participation of women and other citizens.  Several research projects are under way, fortunately, to look at the effects of these political and social changes on women's mental health.

 


[1]Egyptian NGO founded in 2006, with more than 70 active professional members, its main activities are: Counseling and treatment; Establishing prevention and community awareness programs; Developing training for psychosocial teams; Scientific research. P.H.A.S.E is a member of the World Association for Social Psychiatry (WASP)

 

Membership Dues 

To join & pay online - click here!

 

As you know, IAWMH has evolved from a group of mental health professionals interested in the topic to a solid organization that has already held five international congresses, published a book and gained recognition as a UN consultant. This growth has demanded a lot of effort and resources. We are all aware of your personal effort in participating in our activities, and we appreciate it very much.  We also have to cover our expenses and provide some logistics, and for this purpose, the Executive Committee has approved membership fees, as of May 2013.

  

Membership Dues are on an annual basis and due by September 1 each year. 
Dues paid in 2013 will be applicable until September 1, 2014.

 

DUES -  
For members living in countries in World Bank class  A  -  US $ 150   -   List A Countries 
 
For members from all other countries  -  US $ 75  -  List B Countries
 

 

To join & pay online - click here!

For a pdf of the membership form - click here!

  

Upcoming Events
 
10-14 October 2013 - Cartegna
LII Colombian Congress of Psychiatry
  
18-19 October 2013 - Asuncion
National Congress of Psychiatry Association of Paraguay
 
27-30 October 2013 - Vienna, Austria
International Congress of Psychiatry 
Future Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities 
  
Symposium "Does Globalization Affect Women's Mental Health"
Helen Herrman, Chair
Michaela Amering, Co-Chair
Speakers: Marta Rondon, Donna Stewart, Unaiza Niaz
  

Symposium "Psychiatry in the Developing World"

Unaiza Niaz - presenting:

The Role of Women Professional & Non Professional Mental Health Careers in the Developing World  

            
            Zonal Symposium on "Human Rights for Women Psychiatric Patients"
            Donna Stewart - presenting

 

6-8 November - Chicago, Illinois, USA

Perinatal Mental Health Meeting

Optimizing Maternal Treatment to Improve Infant Outcomes

For info:  http://perinatalmentalhealthmeeting.com/

 

            Symposium "Nonpharmacological Interventions for Perinatal Depression"

            Teri Pearlstein - Chair and presenter

 

26-27 February 2014 - Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

International Women's Mental Health Conference

Sponsored by Medical Service Department, Armed Forces of Arabia

For info:  wmh-abstract@hotmail.com

 

Unaiza Niaz - Member of Advisory Scientific Committee, Keynote Speaker and Workshop Leader

Marta Rondon - Keynote Speaker

  

1-4 March 2014 - Munich, Germany

22nd European Congress of Psychiatry (EPA 2014)

European Psychiatry Focusing on Body and Mind

18-21 March 2014 - Seoul, Korea

16th Annual Conference of the  International Society of Bipolar Disorders

For info:  www.kenes.com/isbd

 

6-9 April 2014 - Columbus, Ohio

North American Society for Psychosocial Obstetrics & Gynecology (NASPOG)

2014 Annual Meeting

For info:  www.naspog.org

 

28- 30 April 2014 - Berlin, Germany

7th Biennial Congress of

The International Society of Affective  Disorders (ISAD)

For info:  http://www.isadconference.com/

 

14 - 18 September 2014 - Madrid, Spain
16th World Congress of Psychiatry 
Focusing on Quality, Access and Humane Care