School of Built Environment and Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Am J Mens Health. 2020 Nov-Dec;14(6):1557988320958931. doi: 10.1177/1557988320958931.
Masculinity is an important health determinant and has been studied as a risk factor for communicable diseases in the African context. This paper explores how hegemonic and complicit masculinities influence the lifestyle risk factors for noncommunicable diseases among men. A qualitative research method was used, where eight focus group discussions were conducted among adult men in Maseru, Lesotho. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Although the participants typically described taking responsibility as a key feature of what it meant to be a man in Lesotho, their reported behaviors and rationales indicated that men commonly abdicated responsibility for their health to women. Participants were aware of the negative effects of smoking on health and acknowledged the difficulty to stop smoking due to the addictive nature of the habit. The initiation of smoking was linked by participants to the need to be seen as a man, and then maintained as a way of distinguishing themselves from the feminine. Regarding harmful alcohol consumption, participants reported that stress, particularly in their relationships with women, were linked to the need to drink, as they reported limited outlets for emotional expression for men in Lesotho. On the subject of poor diet, the study found that most men were aware of the importance of vegetable consumption; the perceived lengthy preparation process meant they typically depended on women for such healthy food preparation. Almost all participants were aware of the increased susceptibility to diverse negative health effects from physical inactivity, but because of the physical nature of the work, those engaged in traditionally masculine occupations did not exercise. In the context of lifestyle risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, masculinity has positive and negative impacts. It is important to design health education programs targeting men to successfully mitigate the negative health impacts of masculinity.
男子气概是一个重要的健康决定因素，在非洲背景下，它被研究为传染病的风险因素。本文探讨了霸权和共谋的男子气概如何影响男性的非传染性疾病生活方式风险因素。采用定性研究方法，在莱索托的马塞卢对成年男性进行了八次焦点小组讨论。使用主题分析方法对数据进行分析。尽管参与者通常将承担责任描述为莱索托男性的一个关键特征，但他们报告的行为和理由表明，男性通常将健康责任推给女性。参与者意识到吸烟对健康的负面影响，并承认由于习惯的成瘾性，戒烟很困难。参与者将吸烟的开始与作为男人的需要联系起来，然后将其维持下去，作为与女性区别开来的一种方式。关于有害的酒精消费，参与者报告说，压力，特别是在与女性的关系中，与饮酒的需要有关，因为他们报告说莱索托的男性表达情感的出口有限。关于不良饮食习惯，研究发现，大多数男性都意识到蔬菜消费的重要性；由于认为准备过程漫长，他们通常依赖女性来准备这种健康食品。几乎所有的参与者都意识到缺乏运动对各种负面健康影响的易感性增加，但由于工作的体力性质，从事传统男性职业的人不运动。在非传染性疾病的生活方式风险因素方面，男子气概既有积极的影响，也有消极的影响。设计针对男性的健康教育计划对于成功减轻男子气概对健康的负面影响非常重要。
