Castletroy, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
School of Allied Health, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
Scand J Caring Sci. 2021 Dec;35(4):1027-1037. doi: 10.1111/scs.12919. Epub 2020 Oct 27.
Men represent a growing proportion of unpaid family carers across Europe. Comparative studies have proposed male carers experience their caring role differently to females; men are less likely to avail of formal support services than women. Social ideas around masculinity have been linked to the help-seeking behaviours of male carers, as well as men's attitudes around accessing formal support. More understanding about this role from the perspective of male carers is required.
The study followed a meta-ethnography process starting with a systematic literature search of five electronic databases. The methodological quality of the selected studies was evaluated using the Mc Master checklist. Using NVivo 12 software, primary data were analysed and themes throughout the papers were identified. Results were synthesised as a meta-ethnography that retained direct quotes from the studies.
Two themes and five sub-themes were developed from the data. The first theme was 'Men's experiences of formal support' which contained sub-themes 'Reluctance to step back', 'A space to share emotions' and 'Education diminishes burden'. The second theme was 'Coping without Formal Support' with sub-themes 'Satisfied without help' and 'Duty prevents help seeking'.
Fear of perceived failure and a loss of control in the caring relationship were key factors in men's low trust and dissatisfaction with available services. To engage more male carers, formal service providers should acknowledge men's wish to be seen as competent in the care role as well as their desire to stay involved in decision-making around care for their family member. Support services that were collaborative, education-based and gender-sensitive were favoured by male carers.
男性在欧洲的无偿家庭照顾者中所占比例越来越大。比较研究表明，男性照顾者体验其照顾角色的方式与女性不同；男性比女性更不可能利用正式的支持服务。围绕男性气质的社会观念与男性照顾者的寻求帮助行为以及男性对获得正式支持的态度有关。需要从男性照顾者的角度更多地了解这一角色。
该研究遵循元民族志过程，从对五个电子数据库的系统文献检索开始。使用麦克马斯特清单评估选定研究的方法学质量。使用 NVivo 12 软件对主要数据进行分析，并确定论文中的主题。结果以保留论文中直接引语的元民族志综合呈现。
从数据中得出了两个主题和五个子主题。第一个主题是“男性对正式支持的体验”，其中包含子主题“不愿退缩”、“分享情感的空间”和“教育减轻负担”。第二个主题是“没有正式支持的应对”，包含子主题“没有帮助也满意”和“职责阻止寻求帮助”。
对失败的恐惧和在照顾关系中失去控制是男性对现有服务的低信任和不满的关键因素。为了让更多的男性照顾者参与进来，正式的服务提供者应该承认男性希望在照顾角色中被视为有能力的，以及他们希望参与到照顾其家庭成员的决策中来。以协作、以教育为基础和对性别敏感的支持服务受到男性照顾者的青睐。
