Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review

Gender-responsive healthcare is critical to advancing men’s health given that masculinities intersect with other social determinants to impact help-seeking, engagement with primary healthcare, and patient outcomes. A scoping review was undertaken with the aim to synthesize gender-responsive approach...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zac E. Seidler, Ruben Benakovic, Michael J. Wilson, Margaret A. McGee, Krista Fisher, James A. Smith, John L. Oliffe, Michelle Sheldrake
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2024-04-01
Series:American Journal of Men's Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883241241090
_version_ 1797212996014964736
author Zac E. Seidler
Ruben Benakovic
Michael J. Wilson
Margaret A. McGee
Krista Fisher
James A. Smith
John L. Oliffe
Michelle Sheldrake
author_facet Zac E. Seidler
Ruben Benakovic
Michael J. Wilson
Margaret A. McGee
Krista Fisher
James A. Smith
John L. Oliffe
Michelle Sheldrake
author_sort Zac E. Seidler
collection DOAJ
description Gender-responsive healthcare is critical to advancing men’s health given that masculinities intersect with other social determinants to impact help-seeking, engagement with primary healthcare, and patient outcomes. A scoping review was undertaken with the aim to synthesize gender-responsive approaches used by healthcare providers (HCPs) to engage men with primary healthcare. MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles published between 2000 and February 2024. Titles and abstracts for 15,659 citations were reviewed, and 97 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically. Thirty-three approaches were synthesized from across counseling/psychology, general practice, social work, nursing, psychiatry, pharmacy, and unspecified primary healthcare settings. These were organized into three interrelated themes: (a) tailoring communication to reach men; (b) purposefully structuring treatment to meet men’s health needs, and (c) centering the therapeutic alliance to retain men in care. Strength-based and asset-building approaches focused on reading and responding to a diversity of masculinities was reinforced across the three findings. While these approaches are recommended for the judicious integration into health practitioner education and practice, this review highlighted that the evidence remains underdeveloped, particularly for men who experience health inequities. Critical priorities for further research include intersectional considerations and operationalizing gender-responsive healthcare approaches for men and its outcomes, particularly at first point-of-contact encounters.
first_indexed 2024-04-24T10:51:15Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a06a1e58f8034a91a2c85a1997d7a16f
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1557-9891
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-24T10:51:15Z
publishDate 2024-04-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series American Journal of Men's Health
spelling doaj.art-a06a1e58f8034a91a2c85a1997d7a16f2024-04-12T12:04:32ZengSAGE PublishingAmerican Journal of Men's Health1557-98912024-04-011810.1177/15579883241241090Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping reviewZac E. Seidler0Ruben Benakovic1Michael J. Wilson2Margaret A. McGee3Krista Fisher4James A. Smith5John L. Oliffe6Michelle Sheldrake7 Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Movember, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Rural and Remote Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia Department of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Movember, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaGender-responsive healthcare is critical to advancing men’s health given that masculinities intersect with other social determinants to impact help-seeking, engagement with primary healthcare, and patient outcomes. A scoping review was undertaken with the aim to synthesize gender-responsive approaches used by healthcare providers (HCPs) to engage men with primary healthcare. MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles published between 2000 and February 2024. Titles and abstracts for 15,659 citations were reviewed, and 97 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically. Thirty-three approaches were synthesized from across counseling/psychology, general practice, social work, nursing, psychiatry, pharmacy, and unspecified primary healthcare settings. These were organized into three interrelated themes: (a) tailoring communication to reach men; (b) purposefully structuring treatment to meet men’s health needs, and (c) centering the therapeutic alliance to retain men in care. Strength-based and asset-building approaches focused on reading and responding to a diversity of masculinities was reinforced across the three findings. While these approaches are recommended for the judicious integration into health practitioner education and practice, this review highlighted that the evidence remains underdeveloped, particularly for men who experience health inequities. Critical priorities for further research include intersectional considerations and operationalizing gender-responsive healthcare approaches for men and its outcomes, particularly at first point-of-contact encounters.https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883241241090
spellingShingle Zac E. Seidler
Ruben Benakovic
Michael J. Wilson
Margaret A. McGee
Krista Fisher
James A. Smith
John L. Oliffe
Michelle Sheldrake
Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review
American Journal of Men's Health
title Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review
title_full Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review
title_fullStr Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review
title_short Approaches to Engaging Men During Primary Healthcare Encounters: A scoping review
title_sort approaches to engaging men during primary healthcare encounters a scoping review
url https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883241241090
work_keys_str_mv AT zaceseidler approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT rubenbenakovic approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT michaeljwilson approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT margaretamcgee approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT kristafisher approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT jamesasmith approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT johnloliffe approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview
AT michellesheldrake approachestoengagingmenduringprimaryhealthcareencountersascopingreview