Raewyn Connell
hegemonic masculinities, gender and male health
pp. 535-549
in: Fran Collyer (ed), The Palgrave handbook of social theory in health, illness and medicine, Berlin, Springer, 2015Abstract
Males are one of the largest population groups of interest to health researchers. Male experiences of and attitudes towards health and illness are different to those of women. These differences have both a biological (sex) and social basis (gender). In Western societies, high rates of specific illnesses, such as heart disease, lung cancer, prostate cancer, depression, higher rates of physical injury (typically sustained at work or in motor vehicle accidents) and risk-behaviours, such as binge drinking, violence and drug taking, have been cited to indicate a relative lack of attention to or understanding of male health and well-being. The difference is usually articulated in terms of higher male death rates at all ages and higher rates of premature mortality. Also highlighted are lower rates of males using health services. In particular, a debate has emerged regarding the relative health disadvantage of males, with regard to its substance, causes and remedies.