Tough but not terrific: value destruction in men's health

摘要

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of masculine identity in generating value destruction and diminished well-being in a preventative health service. Design/methodology/approach This research used five focus groups with 39 Australian men aged between 50 and 74 years. Men's participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program informed the sample frame. In total, 12 Jungian male archetypes were used to identify different masculine identities. Findings Thematic analysis of the data revealed three themes of masculinity that explain why men destroy value by avoiding the use of a preventative health services including: rejection of the service reduces consumer disempowerment and emasculation, active rejection of resources creates positive agency and suppressing negative self-conscious emotions protects the self.