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Culture of health care
Men are less socialized around healthcare use
Males across life course have fewer opportunities to develop & practice skills related to when & how to use healthcare services for a number of reasons
1. Healthcare systems’ focus on maternal & infant (child) health
2. Lack of coordination across professional medical organizations that serve the life course & organize men’s sexual & reproductive health
3. Mothers’ caretaking role with children that results in women accumulating greater healthcare system experiences
Culture of “boy code”
Masculinity ideology
“Boy code”: Males are taught to...
• Be tough
• Not express emotions
• Avoid asking for help / seeking help
Masculinity ideology
• Socially constructed beliefs that men adhere to culturally defined standards for male behavior1
• Male adolescents who endorse more traditional masculinity beliefs are
– At higher risk for engaging in problem behaviors &
– Being disconnected from routine health care2
1Pleck. A New Psychology of Men. NY: Basic Books. 1995. 2Marcell et al. Pediatrics. 2007.
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