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305807
Role of Masculinity Attitudes on Chronic Health Conditions Among Men
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
: 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Sarika Parasuraman, PhD, MPH
,
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Roland J. Thorpe Jr., PhD
,
Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Freya Sonenstein, PhD
,
Center for Adolescent Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Nan Astone, PhD
,
Urban Institute, Washington, DC
Joseph Pleck, PhD, MA
,
Department of Human and Community Development, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Jacinda Dariotis, PhD
,
Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Arik Marcell, MD, MPH
,
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Research has shown that more traditional masculinity attitudes are associated with risk behavior and healthcare use, yet few studies have explored the relationship between masculinity attitudes and chronic health conditions among men. Further, it is unclear whether this relationship varies by race/ethnicity. Using fourth wave (2008-2010) data from the National Survey of Adolescent Males (NSAM), we examined the cross-sectional associations between masculinity attitudes and self-reported chronic health conditions (hypertension, diabetes, and asthma) among 1083 men (74% White, 14% Black, 10% Hispanic) aged 35-39. Masculinity attitudes were measured using a 12-item scale assessing beliefs about adhering to culturally-defined standards of male behavior. Weighted Poisson regression models were used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRR) and associated 95% confidence intervals, and account for the study design. After adjusting for age, urbanicity, geographic region, education level, union status, income, employment status, and health insurance status, masculinity attitudes were associated with hypertension (IRR=1.63; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.48; p<0.021). There were significant interaction effects between masculinity attitudes and race/ethnicity on both hypertension and asthma. Masculinity attitudes were associated with risk of hypertension among both White men (IRR=1.84; 95% CI: 0.99, 3.40; p<0.052) and Hispanic men (IRR=1.88; 95% CI: 1.06, 3.33; p<0.029), as well as risk of asthma among Hispanic men (IRR=6.28; 95% CI: 2.65, 14.88; p<0.001). No findings were observed for diabetes. This study finds a relationship between masculinity attitudes and certain chronic health conditions among adult men. Public health strategies should address ways in which men are socialized concerning masculinity, and how these cultural norms impact health conditions.
Learning Areas:
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Describe the impact of masculinity attitudes on chronic health conditions among adult men.
Assess whether the relationship between masculinity attitudes and chronic health outcomes varies by race/ethnicity among adult men.
Keyword(s): Men’s Health, Public Health Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been an investigator on quantitative research using large-scale datasets related to underserved populations, primary and preventive care, and health services research. My research interests are focused on understanding health and healthcare disparities and improving the delivery of care for underserved populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
