One little snippet of my lit review about help-seeking, through a Ugandan lens. Any thoughts/additions/criticisms? These are not findings, mind you, but attempts to digest existing studies on the topic: PROVERB: Water That Has Been Begged for Does Not Quench the Thirst (Resistance to Help Seeking) Related to these conscious and subconscious choices made in the establishment of social capital is a reluctance to seek help. The Ugandan phrase, Water that has been begged for does not quench the thirst, could be interpreted to speak to this reluctance to seek assistance. Research has consistently shown that men of the global North do not consult with therapists or psychologists nearly as frequently as do women, even when under similar distress (Andrews, Issakiddis, & Carter, 2001; Gonzalez, Alegira, & Prihoda, 2005). Similarly, research has shown that the men of Uganda are much less likely to seek medical care including HIV testing and treatment than are Ugandan women (Bwambale, et al., 2008; Gage & Ali, 2005; Mills, et al., 2012; Siu, Seeley, & Wight, 2013). A recent quantitative study of 4,748 American men from varied backgrounds, ages, and socioeconomic statuses found that masculine norms were linked to self-stigma and, in turn, attitudes toward counseling (Hammer & Vogel, 2013, p. 65). Through a 10-item scale (Fischer & Farina as cited in Hammer & Vogel, 2013), the study further found this linkage to be twice as strong for rural men than for other men (p. 65). So yet again we see that the literature suggests an alignment between notions of masculinity and image, and a privileging of respect and reputation above self-care, even more so from those in rural or isolated areas (Hammer & Vogel, 2013; Siu, Seeley, & Wight, 2013). This correlation is particularly compelling in the exploration of the social construction of masculinity in Uganda, opening further questions about specific components of the milieu that leads to this reality for so many men.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 03:12:08 +0000
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