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Lomas T, Cartwright T, Edginton T, Ridge D. ‘I was so done in that I just recognized it very plainly, “You need to do something”’: Men’s narratives of struggle, distress and turning to meditation. Health (London) 2012; 17:191-208. [DOI: 10.1177/1363459312451178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Traditional masculinities can mean men are unable or unwilling to deal constructively with distress. However, researchers increasingly acknowledge that men and masculinities (including hegemonic styles) are diverse. Moreover, men can positively manage their well-being, although little research explores how they do so. Uniquely, our study sought to find men who report finding ways to care for themselves to examine narratives about how such self-care originated. We aimed to do this by exploring issues underpinning men’s journeys towards meditation, focusing on implications for well-being. In-depth interviews were conducted in 2009 with 30 meditators, selected using principles of maximum variation sampling, and analysed with a modified ‘constant comparison’ approach. Men’s journeys towards meditation were fraught with difficulties. Men described crossing a threshold from boyhood into ‘manhood’ where they encountered traditional forms of masculinity (e.g. stoicism), and most described subsequent strategies to disconnect from emotions. While men eventually found ways to engage more constructively with their emotions and well-being, this article explores the struggle and distress of their journeys.
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Branney P, Witty K, Bagnall AM, South J, White A. ‘Straight to the GP; that would be where I would go’: An analysis of male frequent attenders’ constructions of their decisions to use or not use health-care services in the UK. Psychol Health 2012; 27:865-80. [DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2011.636443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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53
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Johnson JL, Oliffe JL, Kelly MT, Galdas P, Ogrodniczuk JS. Men's discourses of help-seeking in the context of depression. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2012; 34:345-61. [PMID: 21707661 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2011.01372.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Depression is an illness increasingly constructed as a gendered mood disorder and consequently diagnosed in women more than men. The diagnostic criteria used for its assessment often perpetrate and reproduce gender stereotypes. The stigma associated with mental illness and the gendered elements of depression suggest there are likely numerous discourses that position, explain, and justify help-seeking practices. This qualitative study explored men's discourses of seeking help for depression. The methodological approach was informed by a social constructionist perspective of language, discourse and gender that drew on methods from discourse analysis. We conducted individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 38 men with depression, either formally diagnosed or self reported. The analysis revealed five discursive frames that influenced the men's talk about help-seeking and depression: manly self-reliance; treatment-seeking as responsible independent action; guarded vulnerability; desperation; and genuine connection. The findings are discussed within a broader context of social discourses of gender, the limitations of current help-seeking literature and the evidence for how men seek help in ways that extend traditional notions of medical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy L Johnson
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, Canada.
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Bottorff JL, Oliffe JL, Robinson CA, Carey J. Gender relations and health research: a review of current practices. Int J Equity Health 2011; 10:60. [PMID: 22151578 PMCID: PMC3293073 DOI: 10.1186/1475-9276-10-60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2011] [Accepted: 12/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The importance of gender in understanding health practices and illness experiences is increasingly recognized, and key to this work is a better understanding of the application of gender relations. The influence of masculinities and femininities, and the interplay within and between them manifests within relations and interactions among couples, family members and peers to influence health behaviours and outcomes. Methods To explore how conceptualizations of gender relations have been integrated in health research a scoping review of the existing literature was conducted. The key terms gender relations, gender interactions, relations gender, partner communication, femininities and masculinities were used to search online databases. Results Through analysis of this literature we identified two main ways gender relations were integrated in health research: a) as emergent findings; and b) as a basis for research design. In the latter, gender relations are included in conceptual frameworks, guide data collection and are used to direct data analysis. Conclusions Current uses of gender relations are typically positioned within intimate heterosexual couples whereby single narratives (i.e., either men or women) are used to explore the influence and/or impact of intimate partner gender relations on health and illness issues. Recommendations for advancing gender relations and health research are discussed. This research has the potential to reduce gender inequities in health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan L Bottorff
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia's Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada.
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Jeffries M, Grogan S. 'Oh, I'm just, you know, a little bit weak because I'm going to the doctor's': young men's talk of self-referral to primary healthcare services. Psychol Health 2011; 27:898-915. [PMID: 22149462 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2011.631542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Young men visit their general practitioner (GP) less frequently than young women and tend to utilise primary healthcare services reluctantly. This research aimed to explore the ways young men used their talk to make sense of their own masculinity in the context of their healthcare visits, and to explore the ways they used their talk to make sense of those visits in terms of multiple masculinities and gendered behaviours. This was an important area for research as previous work has not focused on young men. Interviews, lasting approximately 1 h, were conducted by a male researcher with seven men aged 22-33. Questions related to visiting the GP, attention to healthcare and help-seeking behaviours. These were analysed, using an eclectic approach informed by Foucauldian discourse analysis and discursive psychology. Participants subscribed to a hegemonic masculinity that constructed men as strong, stoical and reluctant to seek help. However, at times, these men negotiated and disengaged from such discourses. Women were constructed as immediately responding to symptoms and seeking help for minor illnesses. In contrast to traditional masculinity, the young men drew upon discourses of vulnerability and embarrassment. These results are discussed in relation to their implications for Health Psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Jeffries
- Department of Psychology and Mental Health, Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, UK
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56
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Walsh LA, Stock ML. UV photography, masculinity, and college men's sun protection cognitions. J Behav Med 2011; 35:431-42. [PMID: 21818599 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-011-9372-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the impact of an ultraviolet (UV) photography intervention and masculinity on college men's sun protection cognitions, including: perceived vulnerability to skin damage, attitudes toward sun protection, willingness to engage in sun protection behaviors, and intentions to receive a skin cancer exam. After completing a baseline survey, participants (N = 152) viewed a black-and-white photo of their face. Half also viewed a photo showing their UV damage. Participants then completed a second survey assessing sun protection cognitions. Regressions revealed that masculinity predicted lower sun protection cognitions, and men in the UV photograph condition reported higher sun protection cognitions. Masculinity by condition interactions showed that the positive effect of UV photography was stronger among masculine men. Negative associations between masculinity and sun protection cognitions were significant only among men who did not receive the intervention. Findings suggest that UV photography is a promising sun protection intervention among masculine men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A Walsh
- Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
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57
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Gibbs A, Jobson G. Narratives of Masculinity in the Daily Sun: Implications for HIV Risk and Prevention. SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1177/008124631104100206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Dominant and hegemonic masculinities typically place women and men at risk of contracting HIV through reinforcing gender inequalities. Challenging these masculinities is increasingly seen as a precondition for tackling HIV&AIDS. Narratives of masculinity are the symbolic tools, which men draw upon to construct their social identities. Understanding the composition of these narratives of masculinity is central for understanding how narratives of masculinity may, or may not, shape HIV-related health behaviours. The media is a central space in which narratives of masculinity are produced and reproduced. We analyse five days' worth of the newspaper, the Daily Sun, in December 2008 to identify the different narratives of masculinity that circulate in the newspaper. Through thematic analysis we identify three different global-narratives: (i) Masculinity and work, (ii) Masculinity, violence and crime, and (iii) Masculinity and HIV. We explore each of these narratives and suggest how they may create contexts in which certain HIV-related health behaviours are more or less likely. We suggest that despite the variation in the narratives of masculinity circulating in the Daily Sun these narratives are limited and typically undermine HIV-related health behaviours by either sustaining a masculine ideal that is unachievable, emphasising a narrative of a disempowered masculinity, or by providing limited masculine narratives around HIV&AIDS. We emphasise how this undermines HIV prevention and suggest possible approaches to challenging these narratives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gibbs
- Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD), University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Farrimond H. Beyond the caveman: Rethinking masculinity in relation to men’s help-seeking. Health (London) 2011; 16:208-25. [DOI: 10.1177/1363459311403943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Statistically, men make less use of health-care services than women. This has been interpreted as the result of the ‘hegemonic’ masculine code in which ‘real’ men are understood to be physically fit, uninterested in their health and self-reliant. However, less attention has been paid to understanding how hegemonic masculinity intersects with the wider western socio-cultural contexts of men’s help-seeking, particularly the valorization of health as a form of social achievement. This article presents the results of interviews with 14 higher socio-economic status (SES) men to uncover their ‘interpretive repertoires’ in relation to health and illness, help-seeking and masculinity. Although many interviewees drew on the stereotype of the ‘Neanderthal Man’ who avoids the doctors to explain help-seeking by men ‘in general’, they constructed their own experiences of help-seeking in terms of being responsible, problem-solving and in control. It is argued that the framing of help-seeking in terms of ‘taking action’ chimes with an increasingly pro-active ‘expert patient’ approach within western health-care. This conceptual reconstruction of the dominant masculine code in relation to help-seeking, from ‘Neanderthal Man’ to ‘Action Man’, may lead to greater gender equality in terms of accessing health-care. However, it has the potential to exacerbate social inequalities between men from different SES groups.
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59
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Thompson L, Reeder T, Abel G. I can't get my husband to go and have a colonoscopy: gender and screening for colorectal cancer. Health (London) 2011; 16:235-49. [PMID: 21602246 DOI: 10.1177/1363459311403948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
It is anticipated that a colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programme will be introduced in New Zealand making it the first screening programme in this country to include both males and females. In-depth interviews were carried out with 80 participants (53 females and 27 males) about their knowledge and attitudes to screening programmes in general, as well as their understanding and perceptions of CRC screening in particular. The study highlighted the perceived marginalization of men's health with a sense that women had advocated for, and therefore monopolized, screening while men's health had been left unattended. There were also perceptions of women's responsibility for ensuring men's access to health services. There are arguments that such perceptions disempower or 'infantalize' men which have no long term benefits. While health is perceived as being a feminine matter, it may be difficult to encourage men to engage in preventative behaviours, such as taking up the offer of screening. This article also highlights the heterogeneity of men, where different performances of masculinities were presented. A stereotypical 'staunch' or 'macho image' discourse was evident in some of the interviews where much emphasis was on maintaining and controlling bodily boundaries. Letting the barrier of embodied 'staunchness' down to access health services is a threat to identity. What is required for successful implementation of the CRC screening programme is a normalization of men's health help-seeking, taking into account the fact that men are not homogenous. Studies in relation to men's health need to attend to cultural diversity which is likely to present a challenge to individualism. Critical studies of men would be enhanced by more engagement with the work of black male scholars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Thompson
- Department of Public Health and General Practice, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
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60
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Mróz LW, Chapman GE, Oliffe JL, Bottorff JL. Gender relations, prostate cancer and diet: Re-inscribing hetero-normative food practices. Soc Sci Med 2011; 72:1499-506. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2010] [Revised: 03/07/2011] [Accepted: 03/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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61
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Green G, Emslie C, O'Neill D, Hunt K, Walker S. Exploring the ambiguities of masculinity in accounts of emotional distress in the military among young ex-servicemen. Soc Sci Med 2010; 71:1480-8. [PMID: 20739109 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2009] [Revised: 06/23/2010] [Accepted: 07/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This paper examines the experiences and perspectives of ex-military servicemen in the UK. It focuses specifically on the complex links between emotional distress and various constructions of 'masculinity' in a military context. Aspects of military culture that exacerbate vulnerability and also those that are protective to mental health are identified and discussed with reference to the theoretical constructs relating to hegemonic masculinity. A qualitative research design using semi-structured interviews provided in-depth accounts of the experiences of 20 ex-servicemen aged 23-44, all but one of whom were in the Army. We found that in a military setting hegemonic masculinity is embedded in the construction of a soldier identity and expression of emotion may be seen as inappropriate. As a result soldiers often lack a language with which to express distress (in a context in which they may witness extremely distressing events), which may result in delays in recognising and treating mental health problems. However, constructions of masculinity in this setting to some degree also promote a caring, sharing ethos based on strong inter-dependent bonds. A young soldier who can cope with the stresses of military life 'becomes a man', adopts a masculine/soldier identity and is well-placed to benefit from these protective factors, notably the camaraderie that is part of service life. In this manner a caring ethos in which some admissions of weakness may be permissible is situated within hegemonic masculinity. This seeming paradox between hyper masculinity and caring masculinities appears to be embedded within military culture, perhaps reflecting the flexibility and ambiguity inherent in constructions of hegemonic masculinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gill Green
- School of Health and Human Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester C04 3SQ, UK.
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62
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Nielsen DS, Brixen K, Huniche L. Men's experiences of living with osteoporosis: focus group interviews. Am J Mens Health 2010; 5:166-76. [PMID: 20798147 DOI: 10.1177/1557988310372800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteoporotic fractures in men are an increasing public health problem. Male osteoporosis is often a low-prioritized issue, however. To examine men's experiences with osteoporosis and how they handle osteoporosis in their everyday lives, the authors collected data from four focus groups with a total of 16 men aged 51 to 82 years diagnosed with osteoporosis. Critical psychology was used as a theoretical framework for the data analysis, which aimed to elicit information about the men's daily lives. The men handled osteoporosis in different ways using different strategies. The authors found patterns that resonated with the social construction of hegemonic masculinity as displayed through the men's fear of weakness and endurance through physical activity, as well as identity construction through active decision making in relation to health. Understanding and implementation of these issues is necessary in the development of preventive, screening, and monitoring strategies, as well as in the clinical care of men with osteoporosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorthe S Nielsen
- Department of Endocrinology, Kloevervaenget 6, 1st Floor, Odense University Hospital and Institute of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark.
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63
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Galdas PM, Cheater FM. Indian and Pakistani Men's Accounts of Seeking Medical Help for Cardiac Chest Pain in the United Kingdom: Constructions of Marginalised Masculinity or Another Version of Hegemonic Masculinity? QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1080/14780880802571168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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64
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Robinson M, Robertson S. Young men's health promotion and new information communication technologies: illuminating the issues and research agendas. Health Promot Int 2010; 25:363-70. [PMID: 20427372 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daq022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The article examines the use of newer, interactive information and communication technologies (ICTs) in young men's health promotion (HP), drawing on gender theory, HP research and evidence on young men's Internet usage. The focus is on highlighting an agenda for research in terms of emerging issues. New forms of social media ICT (for example 'web 2'-based on-line social networking sites, micro-blogging services, i-phones and podcasts) have the potential to enable young men to engage with health information in new and interesting ways. Given concerns about young men's engagement with health services, innovative ICT formats, particularly using the Internet, have been tried. However, issues persist around surfing 'addiction', quality control and equal access. Approaches to HP using new ICTs offer distributed control over information content and quality and a lay social context for accessing information. Online communities can potentially legitimize young men's participation in discourses around health, and support sustained engagement. The article discusses how this could support young men to re-conceptualize healthy choices in the context of masculine imperatives and responsible citizenship if specific conditions are met (for trusting engagement) and risks addressed (such as commercial disinformation). The skill requirements for young men to engage effectively with new ICTs are explored, focusing on health literacy (HL). It is predicted that social marketing approaches to HP for young men will increasingly include new ICTs, making specific requirements for HL. These approaches may appeal narrowly to hegemonic masculinities or broadly to multiple masculinities, including those historically marginalized. Recommendations are made for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Robinson
- Centre for Men's Health, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK.
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65
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Abstract
Cyberspace has been hailed by some as a medium through which users can experience themselves as disembodied, freed from the corporeal trappings of the “real” world. Literature proclaiming the merits of this disembodied ideal has often described the user’s existential state as a form of Cartesian disembodiment, but without (in our view) giving serious consideration to whether this label is warranted. This paper explores the extent to which alterations to the contingency relation said to exist by Descartes, between mind and body (or physical system), result in experiences of disembodiment that can legitimately be described as Cartesian. After examining various examples of altered contingency relations—from case study reports of pathological experiences of disembodiment to research evidence on online relating—we conclude that cyberspace does not constitute a suitable medium for the realization of the Cartesian self, even in users who intentionally seek to become disembodied. The more we try to disengage with the body, the more its importance is revealed to us.
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66
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Young R, West P. Do 'good values' lead to 'good' health-behaviours? Longitudinal associations between young people's values and later substance-use. BMC Public Health 2010; 10:165. [PMID: 20346109 PMCID: PMC2864210 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2009] [Accepted: 03/26/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Past studies have linked certain values (traditional vs. individualistic) with adolescent substance-use. The aims of this study are to replicate cross-sectional research linking values and adolescent substance-use and to determine if such values predict future substance-use. METHODS A longitudinal school-based survey of 2196 young people (age 15) followed up in early adulthood (age 18/19). Participants provided data about their beliefs and values at age 15, and their substance-use (smoking, alcohol and drug-use) at ages 15 and 18/19. In addition data were collected about their social background (gender, risk-taking, deprivation, religion, etc). RESULTS Cross-sectionally, young people with anti-authority values were more likely to use various substances, e.g. 17-67% more likely to regularly smoke (daily), drink (most days), or use drugs (weekly) for each SD above typical levels. Adjusting for social background, associations were not substantially attenuated. However in the prospective analysis, adjusting for both background and substance-use at age 15, only two (anti-authoritarian and work ethic) values were (marginally) associated with substance-use at age 18/19. CONCLUSIONS While we replicated results found in prior cross-sectional studies, evidence from this study does not support the argument that holding certain 'pro-social' or 'good' values substantively protects against later substance-use and challenges the likely effectiveness of values-based interventions in relation to later substance-use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Young
- MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 4 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, UK.
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67
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Evans REC, Simon AE, Wardle J. Public perceptions of the harms and benefits of testicular cancer education: a qualitative study. Cancer Epidemiol 2010; 34:212-9. [PMID: 20060797 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2009.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2009] [Revised: 12/03/2009] [Accepted: 12/09/2009] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The value of testicular cancer (TC) education, and in particular advice on testicular self-examination (TSE), has been widely debated by health professionals. One concern centres on its potential to cause unnecessary anxiety among the target population. Views outside the health professional community about TC education's potential benefits and harms have not previously been described. The objective of this study was to investigate the range of views expressed by specific groups thought to have an interest in provision of TC education. METHODS One-to-one, in-depth interviews with 37 men and women were completed. Participants included TC patients, men with no prior diagnosis of TC, and parents and teachers of adolescent boys. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using the Framework approach to produce a thematic description of views expressed. RESULTS Participants were unanimously in favour of TC education. Key perceived benefits included earlier cancer detection through increasing knowledge of symptoms leading to better treatment outcomes, and motivating help-seeking by reducing emotional barriers such as fear of cancer or embarrassment. Anxiety was acknowledged as a possible harm but was not expected to be widespread or serious. CONCLUSION TC education is viewed favourably by members of the public likely to be interested in its provision. Education's potential to cause anxiety was not considered a disincentive to promoting disease awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth E C Evans
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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68
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Gough B, Flanders G. Celebrating "Obese" Bodies: Gay "Bears" Talk about Weight, Body Image and Health. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.3149/jmh.0803.235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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69
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70
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Sloan C, Gough B, Conner M. Healthy masculinities? How ostensibly healthy men talk about lifestyle, health and gender. Psychol Health 2009; 25:783-803. [DOI: 10.1080/08870440902883204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire Sloan
- a Institute of Psychological Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Brendan Gough
- b Division of Psychology , Nottingham Trent University , Nottingham, NG1 4BU, UK
| | - Mark Conner
- a Institute of Psychological Sciences , University of Leeds , Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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71
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Gray CM, Anderson AS, Clarke AM, Dalziel A, Hunt K, Leishman J, Wyke S. Addressing male obesity: an evaluation of a group-based weight management intervention for Scottish men. JOURNAL OF MENS HEALTH 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jomh.2008.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Halpin M, Phillips M, Oliffe JL. Prostate cancer stories in the Canadian print media: representations of illness, disease and masculinities. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2009; 31:155-169. [PMID: 18983423 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9566.2008.01122.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Despite the popularity of print media as an information source for men with prostate cancer, the representation of prostate cancer within this medium remains relatively understudied. This article details the findings from an analysis of prostate cancer articles published in two Canadian national newspapers, The Globe and Mail and the National Post, from January 2001 through to December 2006. The 817 prostate cancer articles published during this period were retrieved and reviewed using manifest and latent analyses. Three article categories, illness perspectives, medical perspectives and supplementary were identified in the manifest analysis. The latent analysis was guided by the connections between masculinities and prostate cancer in the newspapers' stories. Findings indicated a low frequency of articles that substantively discussed prostate cancer and that the descriptive content reproduced hegemonic masculine ideals, such as competition and stoicism. The presentation of a truncated illness trajectory and privileging of the curative aspects of biomedicine also depicted medicalised male bodies. Any discussion on the negative effects of treatment or explicit references to marginalized forms of masculinity was conspicuously absent. These findings support how representations of prostate cancer in Canadian newspapers predominately replicate detrimental ideologies and perspectives of men's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Halpin
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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73
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Beyond Gender Profiling in Lifestyle Medicine. Am J Lifestyle Med 2008. [DOI: 10.1177/1559827608323209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This review discusses evidence-based perspectives on lifestyle risk reduction for men. Implications for clinical best practices and social policy are considered. Directions for future research also are highlighted.
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74
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Daly MB. The impact of social roles on the experience of men in BRCA1/2 families: implications for counseling. J Genet Couns 2008; 18:42-8. [PMID: 18688698 DOI: 10.1007/s10897-008-9183-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2008] [Accepted: 07/15/2008] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in genetics have identified several genes associated with inherited susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer and have led to the commercial availability of mutation analyses. Although the majority of cancers associated with BRCA1/2 mutations are seen in women, men with BRCA1/2 mutations are at increased risk for male breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and melanoma. Limited data available on the response of men in BRCA1/2 families suggest that the majority do not pursue genetic counseling, thus they may forgo the opportunity to improve health practices and to pass on valuable cancer risk information to offspring. The patterns of relationships of men within the family and society can pose challenges to their recognition of genetic health threats and the need for preventive interventions. Genetic counselors are in a position to inform at-risk males of their genetic risk, and to help them explore their personal health options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary B Daly
- Division of Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA.
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75
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Winterich JA, Quandt SA, Grzywacz JG, Clark PE, Miller DP, Acuña J, Arcury TA. Masculinity and the body: how African American and White men experience cancer screening exams involving the rectum. Am J Mens Health 2008; 3:300-9. [PMID: 19477742 DOI: 10.1177/1557988308321675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Past research on prostate and colorectal cancer disparities finds that barriers to screening, such as embarrassment and offensiveness, are often reported. Yet none of this literature investigates why. This study uses masculinity and health theory to examine how men experience two common screenings: digital rectal exams (DREs) and colonoscopies. In-depth interviews were conducted with 64 African American and White men from diverse backgrounds, aged 40 to 64, from North Carolina. Regardless of race or education, men experienced DREs more negatively than colonoscopies because penetration with a finger was associated with a gay sexual act. Some men disliked colonoscopies, however, because they associated any penetration as an affront to their masculinity. Because beliefs did not differ by race, future research should focus on structural issues to examine why disparities persist with prostate and colorectal cancer. Recommendations are provided for educational programs and physicians to improve men's experiences with exams that involve the rectum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Winterich
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine,Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1084, USA.
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76
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Bengs C, Johansson E, Danielsson U, Lehti A, Hammarström A. Gendered portraits of depression in Swedish newspapers. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2008; 18:962-973. [PMID: 18552322 DOI: 10.1177/1049732308319825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Mass media are influential mediators of information, knowledge, and narratives of health and illness. In this article, we report on an examination of personal accounts of illness as presented in three Swedish newspapers, focusing on the gendered representation of laypersons' experiences of depression. A database search identified all articles mentioning depression during the year 2002. Twenty six articles focusing on personal experiences of depression were then subjected to a qualitative content analysis. We identified four themes: displaying a successful facade, experiencing a cracking facade, losing and regaining control, and explaining the illness. We found both similarities and differences with regard to gendered experiences. The mediated accounts of depression both upheld and challenged traditional gender stereotypes. The women's stories were more detailed, relational, emotionally oriented, and embodied. The portrayal of men was less emotional and expressive, and described a more dramatic onset of depression, reflecting hegemonic patterns of masculinity.
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77
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Improving the health of African American men: experiences from the Targeting Cancer in Blacks (TCiB) Project. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmhg.2007.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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78
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Crawshaw P. Governing the healthy male citizen: men, masculinity and popular health in Men's Health magazine. Soc Sci Med 2007; 65:1606-18. [PMID: 17628269 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2007.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2006] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent commentators have noted the potential of newer neo-liberal discourses of health care to position responsibility for the management of well-being with the individual. Often promoted through the inculcation of risk avoidance and management, such discourses are played out in myriad settings, including the popular media. Magazines are one such media site in which diverse exhortations for the achievement of health, well-being and the perfectible body are made, and Bunton [1997. Popular health, advanced liberalism and good housekeeping magazine. In A. Petersen & Bunton R. (Eds.) Foucault, health and medicine (pp. 223-247). London: Routledge] has identified 'magazine medicine' as a significant manifestation of more dedifferentiated models of health care. Recent discussions have placed men's health high on research and policy agendas, with a concomitant interest in more popular realms. The UK magazine Men's Health (MH) is indicative of these trends, and represents a site at which discourses of men, health and masculinity are constructed. Typically reflecting neo-liberal models of health, here men are constructed as active and entrepreneurial citizens able to maintain their own health and well-being through the judicious management of risk in contexts appropriate to dominant discourses of hegemonic masculinity. Data which resulted from a critical discourse analysis of a 2-year sample (21 issues) of MH are considered and findings related to medicalisation, individualisation and risk discussed. It is suggested that magazine texts such as MH reflect newer individualised models of health care and neo-liberal strategies of health governance premised upon constructing a healthy male citizen, willing and able to take responsibility for their own well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Crawshaw
- University of Teesside, School of Health and Social Care, Borough Road, Middlesbrough TS1 3BA, UK.
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79
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Gough B. 'Real men don't diet': an analysis of contemporary newspaper representations of men, food and health. Soc Sci Med 2006; 64:326-37. [PMID: 17070972 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2006] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Little research to date has focused on the meanings men attach to food and the relationship between diet and health. This is an important topic in light of the current 'crisis' in men's health and the role of lifestyle factors such as diet in illness prevention. Since the mass media is a powerful source of information about health matters generally, media representations bear critical examination. The present paper reports on an in-depth qualitative analysis of contemporary UK newspaper articles on the topic of men and diet (N=44). The findings indicate a persistent adherence to hegemonic masculinities predicated on health-defeating diets, special occasion cooking of hearty meals, and a general distancing from the feminised realm of dieting. At the same time, men are constructed as naïve and vulnerable when it comes to diet and health, while women are viewed as experts. The implications for health promotion with men are discussed.
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