Men′s Health and Illness: Gender, Power, and the Body

Donald Sabo, David F. Gordon

SAGE Publications, Aug 30, 1995 - Social Science - 344 pages

"The reader, whether a professional health care worker, researcher, clinician, or concerned individual, will obtain a clearer perspective on the connections between men′s health and gender, along with a broader conceptualization of the experiences of men in contemporary society. --Choice Men′s Health and Illness contextualizes men′s health issues within the broader theoretical framework of the new men′s studies. This framework focuses on the profound influence of gender on social life and individual experience. The editors and chapter contributors of this groundbreaking volume argue that gender is a key factor for understanding the patterns of men′s health risks, the ways men perceive and use their bodies, and men′s psychological adjustment to illness itself. Part I introduces readers to men′s studies perspectives and explains their relevance for understanding men′s health. Part II explores the linkages between traditional gender roles, men′s health, and larger structural and cultural contexts, and Part III examines the implications of multiple masculinities for health issues. The scope of this volume is both multidisciplinary and international. The authors use quantitative and qualitative research methodologies which provide a well-rounded analysis of the subject matter. Taken collectively, the contributions to Men′s Health and Illness reflect current efforts by men′s studies practitioners to develop theoretical explanations of men′s lives that also refer to the influences of class, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, and age. "This collaborative effort in presenting research and theories is so significant that it should become part of the literature studied by advocates of women′s studies and men′s studies. The reader, whether professional healthcare worker, researcher, clinician, or concerned individual will obtain a clearer perspective on the connections between men′s health and gender, along with a broader conceptualization of the experiences of men in contemporary society. Upper-division undergraduate through professional." --Choice

Contents

• Part I Masculinity Health and Illness: 1
• Chapter 2 Contributions of Changing Gender Differences in Behavior and Social Roles to Changing Gender Differences in Mortality: 22
• Chapter 3 Premature Death Among Males: 46
• Chapter 4 Masculinity Mens Roles and Coronary Heart Disease: 68
• Chapter 5 Lifes Too Short to Die Small: 105
• Part II Different Stakes: 121
• Chapter 7 Gender Politics Pain and Illness: 139
• Chapter 8 Sport Masculinity and the Injured Body: 158
• Chapter 9 Coming to Terms: 183
• Part III Psychosocial and Clinical Aspects of Mens Health: 205
• Chapter 11 Sexual Adaptations Among Gay Men with HIV: 222
• Chapter 12 Testicular Cancer and Masculinity: 246
• Chapter 13 Identity Dilemmas of Chronically Ill Men: 266
• Chapter 14 Men who Survive a Suicidal Act: 292
• Author Index: 305
• Subject Index: 319
• About the Contributors: 330

About the author

I was hired in 1982 as an assistant professor. I left a joint appointment between Sociology and African-American Studies to join the D'Youville faculty. At D'Youville I was provided the opportunity to teach across disciplines and the freedom to pursue an aggressive research and writing agenda. My lifelong intellectual passion has been to understand gender relations. Sociology is the most comprehensive knowledge framework to explore the psychological, social, cultural, and sexual dimensions of gender. I have published extensively on gender relations in relation to issues, including physical activity and health, gender equity in athletics, sport and masculinity, and men's violence. I have been a leader in the development of social scientific study of men and masculinities, particularly in the areas of sport and health. I'm founder and director of the Center for Research on Physical Activity, Sport & Health (CRPASH) at D'Youville. The mission of CRPASH is to design, conduct, and disseminate cutting-edge research on the links among physical activity, sport and health. We are an organizational catalyst for interdisciplinary research projects that foster education, policy development, and public health initiatives. We specialize in getting knowledge and policy "off the shelf" and into communities, schools, and the media, where it can impact people's lives. CRPASH's partnerships with national nonprofits, visionary donors, and corporate sponsors enable us to maximize the educational impacts of our research. I am a Professor of Health Policy in D'Youville's Health Policy & Health Education Doctoral Program. For students this program is both an intellectually challenging and supportive environment that deepens their knowledge, develops their research and managerial skills, and allows them to pursue a personally and professionally meaningful scholarly agenda. Our small classes help produce big results. I've also served as the Research Director for the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF). I like to say that I have two bosses who are both women: Sr. Denise Roche, president of D'Youville College, and Billie Jean King, founder and Board Chair of the Women's Sports Foundation.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Men′s Health and Illness: Gender, Power, and the Body; SAGE Series on Men and Masculinity
• Editors: Donald Sabo, David F. Gordon
• Publisher: SAGE Publications, 1995
• ISBN: 1452247579, 9781452247571
• Length: 344 pages
• Subjects: Social Science / Men's Studies