why won’t men go to the doctor? darren r. jones, phd, lp hap worksite wellness forum june 19, 2014
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Why Won’t Men Go to the Doctor?
Darren R. Jones, PhD, LPHAP Worksite Wellness Forum
June 19, 2014
Our AgendaA little about meFacts and figuresResearch: What do we know?Interventions: What can I do?Questions and comments
Why Do We Need To Talk About This?
Men have poorer health outcomes than women across all age groups in most Western and some non-Western countries
Findings are robustIn U.S. men have higher mortality rates than
women for the 15 leading causes of death (exception: Alzheimer’s)
Men more likely to suffer from chronic conditions and fatal diseases
(Cordier & Wilson, 2013)
Why Do We Need To Talk About This?
Male suicide rates 4 to 12 times higher than women
Men have higher rates of substance abuseMen have shorter life expectancy (76 vs. 81)Underprivileged men are at even higher riskOnly recognized as issue in past decadeMen 25% less likely to have visited provider
in past yearMen 40% more likely to skip recommended
screenings(American Psychological Association, 2011)
Your Experiences?Have you experienced difficulty engaging
your male employees in health and wellness initiatives?
What have you tried already to increase engagement?
What Do We Know?
What Do We Know? Stereotype: Men don’t like to ask for helpResearch validates this beliefSo why is that?Theory: gender socialization (thoughts and
ideas) What does it mean to be a man?Self-reliance, competitiveness, emotional
control, power over others, aggression May be a barrier to seeking helpMust consider context(Mansfield, Addis, & Mahalik, 2003)
What Do We Know? Gender-role conflict: men’s experience of genderFour patterns have been identifiedPreoccupation with success, power, and competitionRestriction of emotionsRestriction in affectionate behaviorConflict between work and familyConflicts are associated with lower self-esteem, marital
satisfaction, intimacy, and increased anxietyAlso associated with negative attitudes toward help-
seeking
(Mansfield, Addis, & Mahalik, 2003)
What Do We Know?Social construction theory: gender is created in
social situationsViews gender as something that is done (not a trait)Men may deny pain in order to minimize problemMaintains gender stereotypesSteer conversations from “soft emotions” Perceived need to “take pain like a man”Reactions to stress: tend and befriend vs fight or
flight/bottle it up (Mansfield, Addis, & Mahalik, 2003)
The Role of MotivationA major problem for health carePeople do not always act rationallyBut there is no pill for thatUnderstanding and individuals motivation is
key to increasing help seeking behaviorsMotivations may not be obvious What might be common motivations for
seeking help?
What Can We Do? : InterventionsEvents like this! Male-friendly events: sports, etc. Focus on a functional, fix-it view of health careFocus on facts, figures, testsTarget women (motivation)Partner support importantAdvertising/marketing that addresses stigma (Bob Dole) Normalize health care concerns (providers especially)Use of technology to increase access and provide privacy Societal level: culture shift
In conclusionQuestions?
Comments?
Thank you
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