Researchers found that men who strongly follow traditional masculine behaviors are less likely to receive medical diagnoses of high blood pressure. Also, they are less likely to receive treatments for heart disease and its risk factors.
Researchers from the University of Chicago say this pattern begins in adolescence and continues into adulthood. This places such men at greater risk for future cardiovascular problems. The study was published in JAMA Network Open. The researchers followed over 4,000 American men from their teenage years through early adulthood. They examined the degree of “male gender expressivity” (MGE).
The effect of MGE on diagnostics
MGE indicates how closely men conform to typical male behavioral patterns. The scientists studied how it affected the likelihood of being diagnosed. They have also looked into the likelihood of treatment for conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.
The research found that men who displayed higher levels of masculine behavior were significantly less likely to receive diagnoses for hypertension. Even in the situations when medical tests showed they had them.
Among men with elevated blood pressure, those with higher MGE scores were 4% less likely to receive a hypertension diagnosis. The effect was even more pronounced for diabetes. Men with higher adolescent MGE scores were 15% less likely to receive a diagnosis of diabetes. It included the situations when blood sugar levels indicated they had diabetes.
“When we talk about gender expression, we’re not looking at anything physiologic that could be affected by the Y chromosome,” explains Nathaniel Glasser, MD, a general internist and pediatrician at UChicago Medicine and lead author on the study. “We’re purely focused on self-reported behaviors, preferences and beliefs, and how closely these reported behaviors and attitudes resemble those of same-gendered peers.”
The effect of MGE on treatment
Even more problematic was that these men were less likely to follow through with treatment. Those with higher MGE scores were up to 11% less likely to take prescribed blood pressure medications. They were also 10% less likely to take diabetes medications.
“Our hypothesis is that social pressures are leading to behavioral differences that impact cardiovascular risk mitigation efforts, which is concerning because it could be leading to worse long-term health outcomes,” Glasser says.
The study participants had an average age of 38 by the end of the research period. They were predominantly white (64%) and privately insured (80%). The sample included Asian American and Pacific Islander (7%), Hispanic (12%), and non-Hispanic Black (16%) participants. This made it broadly representative of the U.S. male population.
The reasons behind
The findings by the researchers focus on the societal pressures upon men to appear strong and self-reliant. The researchers believe that these societal pressures may be inadvertently encouraging them to avoid seeking medical help. They preclude them from acknowledging health problems. This behavior pattern has serious consequences. Early detection and treatment of cardiovascular risk factors is critical for preventing heart disease.
“We’re seeing how pressures to convey identity – whether it’s rooted in gender, race, sexuality or something else – impact health behaviors,” Glasser concludes. “Fitting in and achieving belonging is a complicated task, and we feel strongly that increased societal sympathy, empathy and patience for others undertaking that task would be good for people’s health.”
‘Manly’ Men and High Blood Pressure: The Methodology
The researchers used data from a long-term national study that followed participants from adolescence (ages 12-18) through adulthood (ages 32-42). They measured masculine behavior patterns by analyzing how similarly participants answered certain survey questions compared to their male peers.
The study compared these masculinity scores with medical data, including blood pressure readings, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol measurements. Participants reported their diagnoses and medication use.
‘Manly’ Men and High Blood Pressure: The Key Results
The study found that 64% of the men had elevated blood pressure, 5% had diabetes-range blood sugar levels, and 10% had high cholesterol.
Men with higher masculine behavior scores were less likely to be diagnosed with these conditions, even when present. Also, they are less likely to take prescribed medications.
The actual prevalence of these conditions wasn’t related to masculine behavior patterns.
