Health and help-seeking behavior among Chinese men in Hong Kong: The influence of culture.

Abstract

Much of the literature on masculinity centers on white heteronormative ideologies of masculinity, with little attention paid to cultural variations. The present study uses a qualitative approach to examine the health and help-seeking behavior of Chinese men in Hong Kong and the influence of cultural values. Focus group discussions were conducted with 27 men divided into groups based on age. A total of five focus groups were conducted with men aged 24 to 81 years. The article presents discussions and experiences of health and help-seeking behavior among Chinese men. The following four subthemes were identified and analyzed in greater detail: (a) symptom visibility versus pain, (b) health care prompting and illness behavior, (c) motivations for good health, and (d) disclosure/nondisclosure of illness. Although men were reluctant to consult a doctor, they were proactive in seeking help for illness using different pathways, for example, with use of over-the-counter medication and/or consumption of Chinese herbal teas being common. Help-seeking was embraced as a means to look after one's health. Family was identified as an important source of support when it comes to men's health, and the men talked about the role of family in prompting them to seek help for symptoms of ill health they may not otherwise seek help for. Family, wives and partners in particular, was perceived as an important source of emotional support in times of ill health for men in the present study. Findings further discuss men's health behavior through a Chinese cultural lens. Public Significance StatementClear pathways of help-seeking behavior were identified among Chinese men who were proactive in looking after their health. An important motivation for good health was filial piety; men talked of looking after their own health to better take care of their family and discussed how concern to prevent family worry was a motivator to become healthier. Men talked of sharing their health worries and concerns with their wives and girlfriends; this problem-solving behavior was perceived as positive and men talked of the importance of gaining emotional support from their partners in the face of ill health.

“Take a Spoonful of Concrete and Harden the **** up!”: How British Men in Hong Kong Talk About Health and Illness

“…The present findings show little similarity to previous findings on the health behavior of Chinese men in Hong Kong. While men in the present study were on the whole more reluctant to listen to the advice of a female family member, Chinese men are reported to be responsive to the worries and health advice of female family members (Rochelle, 2019b). The British expat men in the present study were infrequent visitors to the doctors, whereas previous studies of Chinese men in Hong Kong have not identified such a reluctance to seek medical assistance (Rochelle, 2019b).…”

“…The focus group discussions presented here form part of a larger mixed-methods study examining constructions of masculinity and health behavior among a cross-cultural sample of men in Hong Kong (Rochelle, 2019a, 2019b). A total of 28 men were recruited to the present study, with ages ranging from 21 to 51 years.…”

Using the Revised Health Care System Distrust Scale to evaluate healthcare distrust among Chinese men in Hong Kong: An analysis from a prostate cancer screening behaviours survey

“…The findings on the psychometric properties of the scales might not be applicable to females or to males who are younger than 40 or over 70 years of age. Gender differences in health services utilisation patterns, patient experiences and health‐seeking behaviours might affect the level of trust that people of different genders have in the healthcare system (Rochelle, 2019; Wiltshire et al, 2011). Second, test–retest reliability and the responsiveness of the scale were not evaluated in the current study.…”

Relationship Between Work-Family Conflict and Depressive Symptoms Among Male Firefighters in China

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