The meaning of mental health: a report of two ethnoscientific studies

The use of the ethnoscientific method in nursing research is demonstrated in an initial study and a replication of that study, utilizing male and female informants. The domain of "mental health" was explored, analyzed, and contrasted within the subculture of the central city resident and the subculture of the psychiatric-mental health professional. To facilitate an understanding of ethnoscience, the method is briefly outlined; then, to illustrate the methodology, data from one informat are presented in depth. A summary of the major similarities and contrasts that emerged from the data of both studies is presented. Implications for nursing of the research and ethnoscience are discussed.