As this year wraps up, we are excited to reflect on our work and share a list of our top 20 publications generated from the RMS cluster from 2020-21. Visit us on Twitter for to see the reveal throughout December and early January but here, we will share with you a sneak peak of five articles that have made it to this list.
#20 – Getting them through the door: A survey of men’s facilitators for seeking mental health treatment
Authors: ZE Seidler, SM Rice, D Kealy, JL Oliffe, JS Ogrodniczuk
Journal: International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 18 (5), 1346-1351
Abstract: Much of the existing literature in the men’s mental health field focuses on understanding why men are often reluctant to seek and engage in treatment (Seidler et al. 2016). Research has highlighted factors including societal and self-stigma (DeBate et al. 2018; Vogel et al. 2011), men’s alignments to masculine norms (e.g. self-reliance; Berger et al. 2013) and poor sensitivity to male distress in men’s low uptake of mental health services (Rice et al. 2019). However, the emphasis on men’s disconnects from mental health care has meant that the reasons why men make their way into treatment remain poorly understood. Moreover, given there has been a consistent rise in the number of men seeking help for mental health concerns in the past decade (Harris et al. 2015) largely a result of increased awareness, funding and targeted public campaigns (e.g. King et al. 2018), it follows that understanding the experiences of men in treatment is key to improving pathways to care for others (Seidler et al. 2017). Although a small but growing area of interest, the exploration of men’s positive experiences managing their mental health most often reports preventative coping strategies and self-care tools rather than delving into men’s pathways to clinical care and their underlying motivators (e.g. Fogarty et al. 2015).
While data on facilitators to mental health treatment uptake exist, the studies often have small sample sizes (e.g. Harding and Fox 2014), report non-clinical or college populations and assess for intentions or attitudes rather than actual behaviours (e.g. Seidler et al. 2016). This study aims to distil what are often diverse and contextually bound qualitative responses about facilitators to treatment into a collective quantitative output that can empirically weight the relative importance of these factors. The current study is therefore unique in that it offers insights to facilitating factors drawing from a large sample of men who are currently accessing help for a self-reported mental health concern.
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-019-00147-5
#19 – How to Save a Life: Vital Clues From Men Who Have Attempted Suicide
Authors: JL Oliffe, O Ferlatte, JS Ogrodniczuk, ZE Seidler, D Kealy, SM Rice
Journal: Qualitative health research
Abstract: Male suicide rates are high and rising, and important insights can be gleaned from understanding the experiences of men who have attempted suicide. Drawing from a grounded theory photovoice study of diverse Canadian men, three intertwined thematic processes were derived: (a) preceding death struggles, (b) life-ending attempts and saving graces, and (c) managing to stay alive post suicide attempt. Preceding death struggles were characterized by cumulative injuries, intensifying internalized pain, isolation, and participant's efforts for belongingness in diminishing their distress. Men's life-ending attempts included overdosing and jumping from bridges; independent of method, men's saving graces emerged as changing their minds or being saved by others. Managing to stay alive post suicide attempt relied on men's acceptance that their mental illness was unending but amenable to effective self-management with professional mental health care. The findings offer vital clues about how male suicide might be prevented.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33292074/
#18 – Suicide risk, psychological distress and treatment preferences in men presenting with prototypical, externalising and mixed depressive symptomology
Authors: IT Zajac, S Rice, M Proeve, D Kealy, JL Oliffe, JS Ogrodniczuk
Journal: Journal of mental health
Abstract: The prevalence of depression in men is significantly lower than women despite male suicide being higher. Therefore, improving the understanding and detection of depression in men is an important research and clinical aim. To examine the prevalence of prototypic, externalising and mixed depressive symptoms and their relation to mental illness and suicide risk Quantitative data were obtained through a survey of = 1000 Canadian males (median age = 49.63 years, = 14.60). A range of validated scales were incorporated including the PHQ-9, K6, SBQ-R and MDRS. Using established cut-off scores, the proportions classified into distinct symptom groups were: not depressed (69%), prototypical (8%), mixed (12%) and externalising (11%). Risk of mental illness and suicidal risk was significantly elevated in all depressed groups. Compared to the not-depressed group, those experiencing only externalising symptoms and those with mixed symptomology were at significantly increased risk of mental illness as well current suicide risk. These results highlight the clinical importance of considering a broad range of potential presentations of depression in men, all of which are associated with increased suicide risk.
Link: https://maint.tandfonline.com/
#17 – Health literacy among Canadian men experiencing prostate cancer
Authors: CL Seaton, JL Oliffe, SM Rice, JL Bottorff, ST Johnson, SJ Gordon, SK Chambers
Journal: Health promotion practice
Abstract: The objective was to describe the health literacy of a sample of Canadian men with prostate cancer and explore whether sociodemographic and health factors were related to men’s health literacy scores. A sample of 213 Canadian men (M age = 68.71 years, SD = 7.44) diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited from an online prostate cancer support website. The men completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire along with demographic, comorbidity, and prostate cancer treatment–related questions online. Of the 5-point scales, men’s health literacy scores were highest for “Understanding health information enough to know what to do” (M = 4.04, SD = 0.48) and lowest for “Navigating the health care system” (M = 3.80, SD = 0.58). Of the 4-point scales, men’s scores were highest for “Feeling understood and supported by health care professionals” (M = 3.20, SD = 0.52) and lowest for “Having sufficient information to manage my health” (M = 2.97, SD = 0.46). Regression analyses indicated that level of education was positively associated with health literacy scores, and men without comorbidities had higher health literacy scores. Age and years since diagnosis were unrelated to health literacy. Support in health system navigation and self-management of health may be important targets for intervention.
Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1524839919827576
#16 – Operationalizing positive masculinity: A theoretical synthesis and school-based framework to engage boys and young men
Authors: M Wilson, K Gwyther, R Swann, K Casey, R Featherston, JL Oliffe, M Englar-Carlson, S Rice
Journal: Health Promotion International
Abstract: Scholars have consistently documented the relationship between conformity to traditional masculine norms and maladaptive psychosocial outcomes among boys and young men. Given current social commentary, including debate around 'toxic masculinity', intervention is needed to encourage boys to embody healthy expressions and identities of masculinity. Whilst new approaches grounded in positive masculinity show promise, the construct requires further definition and phenomenological clarity. Here we review divergent perspectives on positive masculinity, and forward a refined definition, specific to psychosocial health promotion among boys and young men. We then outline the theoretical basis of a positive masculinity framework to guide the content of future interventions, aiming to achieve positive identity development among boys and young men for the good of all. This framework represents a necessary unification of scholarship around male adolescent development, education and health. Future health promotion interventions may benefit from applying the framework to support a positive psychosocial trajectory among boys and young men, with a focus on connection, motivation and authenticity.
#15 – Men’s Dropout From Mental Health Services: Results From a Survey of Australian Men Across the Life Span
Authors: ZE Seidler, MJ Wilson, D Kealy, JL Oliffe, JS Ogrodniczuk, SM Rice
Journal: American journal of men's health
Abstract: While increasing numbers of Australian men are accessing mental health services, the sustainability of their therapy engagement varies significantly, with many men being lost to follow-up. The current study investigated dropout rates in a large community-based male sample to highlight the reasons for, and potential predictors of, men dropping out of mental health care services. Data were drawn from an online survey of 1907 Australian men (aged 16–85; M = 44.1 years) reflecting on their broad experiences in mental health therapy. Participants responded to bespoke items assessing their past dropout experience and reasons for dropping out, the odds of which were modeled in relation to demographics and predictors (e.g., therapist engagement strategies, alignment to traditional masculinity and pre-therapy feelings of optimism, shame, and emasculation). The overall dropout rate from therapy was 44.8% ( n = 855), of which 26.6% ( n = 120) accessed therapy once and did not return. The most common reasons for dropout were lack of connection with the therapist (54.9%) and the sense that therapy lacked progress (20.2%). Younger age, unemployment, self-reported identification with traditional masculinity, the presence of specific therapist engagement strategies, and whether therapy made participants feel emasculated all predicted dropout. Current depressive symptoms and suicidality were also higher amongst dropouts. Therapists should aim to have an honest discussion with all clients about the importance of therapy fit, including the real likelihood of dropout, in order to ensure this does not deter future engagement with professional services.
Link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/15579883211014776
Thanks for reading! If you'd like to check out the remaining publications that have been the top 20 on our list, please follow our Men's Health Research Program at UBC Twitter account where the publications will be release throughout the rest of December and early of next year. We hope you have a happy holiday and new year! @MensHealthUBC