Mental health, men and culture: how do sociocultural constructions of masculinities relate to men’s mental health help-seeking behaviour in the WHO European Region?
Publication year: 2020
Men are less likely than women to seek help for mental health issues and are much more likely to commit
suicide. This scoping review examined recent evidence published in English and Russian on the role of socially
constructed masculinity norms in men’s help-seeking behaviour for mental health issues. The key sociocultural
barriers to men’s help-seeking pertaining to masculinity norms were identified as self-reliance, difficulty
in expressing emotions and self-control. The wider community, societal and cultural challenges to men’s
help-seeking and well-being were found to include economic insecurity, inequality and limited health- and
social-care provision – especially for marginalized groups of men. However, there is also evidence to indicate
that men are able to display vulnerability and seek help with trusted people (such as family members, peers
and specialists) and within trusted communities. Policy considerations to improve men’s help-seeking for
mental health issues should include an awareness of the prevailing cultural norms of masculinity in diverse
groups of men to provide effective tailored interventions for mental health promotion.