The Impact of Problems of Men on the Relevant Sectors of the Community - Literature review Example

Issues and Service Delivery Name: Institution: Issues and Service Delivery Introduction In the contemporary world, men’s health is becoming poorer, the rates of mortality are high and they utilize health services less frequently as compared to women (Smith et al., 2006). Actually, being a male in developed countries is a threatening factor for premature mortality. Prior to reaching 50 years, most men pass away prematurely, mainly from accidents, cardiovascular disease, neoplasm, as well as suicide. Additionally, men are more vulnerable to mortality associated with climate as compared to women (Courtenay, 2003). Time and again, men are held responsible for being poor health services consumers, and as a consequence, are perceived to be victims of their personal actions. According to Sayers and Miller (2004), the traditional role of men promotes behaviours such as risk-taking as tolerable behaviour for men; for instance, men have high rates of alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, risky behaviour, rebellious conduct, violence, and aggression. Clearly, all of the abovementioned behaviours are suicide risk factors. Policy promoters as per Smith et al. (2006) have as well pointed out that insufficient efforts to create national as well as state health policies for men as well as insufficient resources, for both practitioners and researchers, are responsible for the men’s poorer health condition. The paper seeks to explain in depth the major issues of men or boys, and the impact of these problems on the relevant sectors of the community. What’s more, the paper will discuss the environment, service provider and policy factors that contribute to these issues. Critical Discussion Having no suitable social support is a relevant issue for susceptible youthful men, as was highlighted in Davies et al. (2000) literature review. Davies et al. (2000) posit that proper networks for social support promote help-seeking by offering encouraging role-models and is basis of encouragement, support, guidance and assistance. Therefore, Sayers and Miller (2004) established that social support considerably has an effect on a number of academic and mental health results during teenage years. For instance, social support is a defensive factor in stopping suicide amongst young men; lower abuse of drugs; belated sexual activities; securer sexual conduct; as well as reduced felony and aggression. Still, as mentioned by Davies et al. (2000) unsuitable networks for social support can offer a differing effect, with young men enduring behavioural or emotional difficulties, which as a result compel them to seek help from their peers experiencing the same issues. According to Courtenay (2003) men always lack encouraging networks for social support with women having large social support networks than men. Sayers and Miller (2004) etsbalished that lack of supportive and stable relationships resulted in lessened help-seeking amongst men upon discharge. What’s more, research recommends that females are more probable to make use of social support systems as a help basis as compared to males, who make an effort to handle themselves. According to Sayers and Miller (2004), the gender difference in systems for social support can possibly be associated with emotional competence. During adolescence many teenagers try to avow their independence, and at this stage both genders lessen the level of seeking assistance from their family, which according to Fletcher et al. (2002) is normal behaviour amongst youths. Yet it seems that teenage girls substitute family support with peers support; thus, increasing their goal to search for assistance from professional sources such as hospitals. While teenage boys are less probable to generate a helpful network of friendship and majority of them are unwilling to look for professional help because, partly, of poorer emotional competence level, and so failing t fill the role once held by the family. Therefore, there is a connected relationship between help-seeking, social support as well as emotional competence, with men not having emotional competence enduring challenges to develop and maintain social support networks. According to Fletcher et al. (2002), individuals without emotional competence experience challenges in asking for help, and do not have convenient sources of help. Furthermore, Men without emotional competence could have experienced fewer successful help-seeking incidents beforehand, and as a result, could be unwilling to look for help once more. For instance, hopelessness, nervousness, substance use and suicidal thoughts are believed to double as help-negators by supporting or coercing social withdrawal. Men as well as boys are also drawn in risks that relate to failure of not espousing health-promoting conducts by taking part in risk-taking activities (Courtenay, 2003). For instance, more men as compared to women make use of tobacco products and also their tobacco use patter is more hazardous. According to Courtenay (2003) men as well as young males participate in more irresponsible and unlawful driving, and mostly they drive under the influence than their female counterparts. Besides that, as compared to women, men have more sexual partners, and take part in considerably more high-risk bodily conducts like perilous sports and physical fights. Besides that, they are more likely to participate in criminal activities and are always armed with guns or other dangerous weapons. Risk-taking behaviours amongst men as per Courtenay (2003) weaken not just the wellbeing of the males who take part in such behaviours, but as well the well-being and health of other people. Besides that, man and boys are more likely to become the victims of violence as well as physical abuse (Fletcher et al., 2002). Almost 50 percent of men nationwide have been beaten or punched by another man while the rate of violent victimisation for males aged between 12 and19 years stands at 50 percent higher for males as compared for females. Nationwide amongst young boys, over 12 percent have reported that they have been physically abused, even though the level of sexual abuse amongst boys is low (5 percent) as compared to that of their female counterparts (10 percent) (Courtenay, 2003). However, sexual harassment heightens the health risks of both boys as well as girls. Community and social providers have in one way or another contributed to these issues facing men and boys. According to Smith et al. (2006), two set of factors are accountable for the patterns in use of health service and help-seeking behaviour amongst men and boys: socio-cultural as well as biological factors. Basically, the social manliness construction serves as a crucial influence on illness as well as health, and can also limit and prescribe the lives of men. The society sees men as stronger entities that can do anything ranging from protecting the people to hard work; this as a result, negatively impacts their health. According to sociologists, certain conduct related to traditional forms of maleness can be dangerous to the health of men. Cultures that have dominant values and masculine could depressingly have an effect on patterns of sickness as well as behaviour and experiences of men. For instance, suppression and stoicism of emotion are social values often related to socialisation of male gender role. Community observance to patriarchal male attributes, like authority, dominance, freedom, and independence could as well serve as an obstruction to men with regard to properly using and accessing health services. Smith et al. (2006) argue that men are always affected by cultural stereotypes in ignoring preventive health care as well as screening. This makes men to underutilise health services intended for early intervention. Consequently, pitiable behaviour in health seeking results in poor use of health care amongst men. This as per Sayers and Miller (2004) reduces men access to information as well as limits chances for use of primary care and health promotion interaction. Health service providers often fail to concentrate on pathological, physiological and structural reasons as to why males are more at risk to several diseases as compared to females. Health care provides failure to provide remedy for evolutionary pressures toward most favourable reproductive results for men, have promoted male competitive capacity and risk-taking to the detriment of reduced investment in disease prevention. The higher rates of accidents amongst men and boys as per Smith et al. (2006) have been partly been characterised lack of cognitive and motor policy, resulting to a risk misjudgement. Lack of governmental policy, to curb increasing rates of aggression, fatal accidents cause by drunkard drivers and excess consumption of alcohol has enabled men to become more aggressive and careless (Courtenay, 2003). Conclusion In conclusion, it is impossible to presume that the present health services fulfil the needs of men and boys, or that providers of health service are adequately skilled to handle certain health needs of men. As mentioned in the literature, many young men’s do not admit problems, or seek professional help simply because they want to be independent. Therefore, suitable cultural and gender-specific health interventions and promotion are required for both men as well as boys. If the health status of men and boys are to be improved, largely considered interventions are which can surpass the various risk factors are needed to deal with the inflicted risk from different cultural, economic, and social relationships or circumstances. Therefore, acknowledging the significance of espousing a public health approach to deal with such disciplinary precincts will help improve the health and wellbeing of men and boys. References Courtenay, W. H. (2003). Key Determinants of the Health and Well-Being of Men and Boys. International Journal of Men's Health, 2(1), 1-27. Davies, J., McCrae, B. P., Frank, J., Dochnahl, A., & al, e. (2000). Idenfitying male college students' perceived health needs, barriers to seeking help, and recommendations to help men adopt healthier lifestyles. Journal of American College Health, 48(6), 259-267. Fletcher, R. J., Higginbotham, N., & Dobson, A. (2002). Men's Perceived Health Needs. Journal of Health Psychology, 7, 233-241. Sayers, M., & Miller, K. & Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention. (2004). Help-seeking behaviours of suicidal men aged 17-35 years: A consumer consultation and participation pilot project. Ministerial Council for Suicide Prevention. Perth, Western Australia. Smith, a. A., Braunack-Mayer, A., & Wittert, G. (2006). What do we know about men’s help-seeking and health service use? Medical Journal of Australia, 184(2), 81-83. Read More