Women living in a drug (and violence) context--the maternal role

Sueli Aparecida Frari Galera1, María Carmen Bernal Roldán, Beverley O'Brien

  • 1WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Research Development, Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil. sugalera@eerp.usp.br

Although the drug problem is more present among men, women are an increasing group and a vulnerable subgroup, since many of them are involved in motherhood. In this paper, the partial results of an ethnographic study on maternal role-related perceptions, beliefs and attitudes are presented, as well as the context in which women with small children and are undergoing or underwent treatment for alcohol or drug addiction live. Mothers undergoing treatment participated in interviews about their maternal role and how it developed in a family context marked by violence, affective experiences and drug use.

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