“Being a Man Is Harmful to One’s Health”

The opening moniker for any of my lectures on men’s health, “Being a man is harmful to one’s health”, routinely elicits a few chuckles or some questioning glances. However, I repeat the statement and claim that, generally, it’s true. If you are a man, chances are you are less likely to talk about important issues like prostate, testicular, and/or sexual health. Why? For many men, discussing issues of sickness, vulnerability, and death with others (especially other men) is perceived as a breach of their masculinity. It is this reluctance to discuss such important issues that is having a direct effect upon our health and well-being.

A recent study by Winterich et al (2009) suggested that men experience digital rectal exams and colonoscopies negatively (DRE’s more negatively than colonoscopies) due to their association of said preventative behaviors with homosexuality. Men also perceived anal penetration via DRE or colonoscopy as an “affront to their masculinity”. (p. 300) The literature on testicular cancer parallels these findings. Any given cross sectional study on male perceptions of testicular health will surely suggest that most men are hesitant to discuss their testicles to anyone (e.g. Trumbo, 2004). Generally, men feel uncomfortable discussing such inherently male-centric topics such as testicular, prostate, rectal, or sexual health for fear of seeming ‘womanly’, ‘girly’, ‘queer’, or ‘weak’.

So how and why did this behavior among men begin? Apparently, the forces that defined masculinity have therefore shaped and molded an idea of a man as one who should not demonstrate vulnerability or weakness in any kind of visible form. The idea of a man being vulnerable is viewed as a gateway of losing their masculinity. The social construction of “manliness” does not allow for an Achilles’ heel, especially when dealing with health and wellbeing topics. Therefore, when men seek medical advice or require medical attention, they may be somewhat hesitant to fully disclose their discomfort or suspicions. If you factor into this discussion a man’s prostate, testicles, rectum, or sexuality, the more reserved a man gets. Because men generally value, or abide by, this socially constructed notion of being a “man’s man”, they are predisposed to not want to talk about any health or wellness topic concerning their “manhood”.

Should men want to: (a) learn how to perform testicular self-examination and then perform it regularly, (b) want to discuss their digital rectal examination results with their physician, or (c) openly discuss sexual health with other men? They should, but generally, they don’t. Can these reservations have an effect upon health outcomes? Of course they can. Looking at any testicular or prostate cancer data, many diagnoses for such preventable diseases occur post-diaspora from the prostate or testicles, thereby making treatment and/or recovery that much more difficult. For example, Wynd (2002) suggests that later detection results in worse health outcomes, with 15% to 50% of (testicular) tumors being metastasized at time of discovery. The later the stage of discovery, the higher the risk of mortality.

This veil of silence prohibits any quality communication between men and their physicians, friends, colleagues, and/or family about testicular, prostate, rectal, or sexual health. This is not only limiting quality of life, but also length of life. We must support and encourage men to have open dialogue about their health concerns. It could mean the difference between a long, healthy life and a critical, deadly diagnosis. So yes, being a man may be harmful to one’s health but as long as we continue to communicate the importance of men’s health perhaps we can give that old adage a critical diagnosis of its own.

References:

Trumbo, C. (2004). Mass-mediated information effects on testicular self-examination among college students. Journal of American College Health, 52(6), 257-262.

Winterich, J., Quandt, S., Grzywacz, J., Clark, P., Miller, D., Acuna, J., & Arcury, T. (2009) Masculinity and the Body: How African-American and White men Experience Cancer Screening Exams Involving the Rectum. American Journal of Men’s Health. 3(4), 300-309

Wynd, C. (2002). Testicular self-examination in young adult men. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 34(3), 251-255.

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Blurb about today’s Guest Blogger:

Michael J Rovito received his M.A. in Geography and Ph.D. in Public Health from Temple University in Philadelphia. Michael currently is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Temple University. His research specializes in health behavior change, men’s health, and audience segmentation. His most recent research developed the “Control Identity” Personality Typology that aims to assist health education and intervention efforts for tailoring messaging strategies. Michael is a Fellow of the Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making, the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, and the Information Technology in Society Research Group. His interests include military and World War II history, outdoor sports, and political strategy.