"I've been independent for so damn long!": Independence, masculinity and aging in a help seeking context

James A. Smith; Annette Braunack-Mayer; Gary Wittert; Megan Warin

doi:10.1016/j.jaging.2007.05.004

"I've been independent for so damn long!": Independence, masculinity and aging in a help seeking context

James A. Smith
, Annette Braunack-Mayer
, Gary Wittert
, Megan Warin

Nutrition, Diabetes And Gut Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

135 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with 36 older men to examine how older men's understandings of independence relate to their help seeking behaviours and health service use. We argue that discourses of masculinity and successful aging are both represented in men's talk about independence. Recognising that these discourses are intertwined is important for understanding how older men seek help and use health services. We outline the practice and policy implications of viewing older men's help seeking behaviours in this way, and how it might be useful for promoting older men's health.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	325-335
Number of pages	11
Journal	Journal of Aging Studies
Volume	21
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2007.05.004
Publication status	Published or Issued - Dec 2007

Keywords

Help-seeking
Independence
Masculinity
Successful aging

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Health(social science)
General Arts and Humanities
General Social Sciences
Life-span and Life-course Studies

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jaging.2007.05.004

Cite this

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title = "{"}I've been independent for so damn long!{"}: Independence, masculinity and aging in a help seeking context",

abstract = "This paper draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with 36 older men to examine how older men's understandings of independence relate to their help seeking behaviours and health service use. We argue that discourses of masculinity and successful aging are both represented in men's talk about independence. Recognising that these discourses are intertwined is important for understanding how older men seek help and use health services. We outline the practice and policy implications of viewing older men's help seeking behaviours in this way, and how it might be useful for promoting older men's health.",

keywords = "Help-seeking, Independence, Masculinity, Successful aging",

author = "Smith, \{James A.\} and Annette Braunack-Mayer and Gary Wittert and Megan Warin",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge the support of the Florey Adelaide Male Aging Study Team. We would also like to acknowledge the Florey Medical Research Foundation, the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide and the King and Amy O'Malley Trust for providing support to carry out this research.",

year = "2007",

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language = "English",

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AU - Wittert, Gary

AU - Warin, Megan

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge the support of the Florey Adelaide Male Aging Study Team. We would also like to acknowledge the Florey Medical Research Foundation, the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Adelaide and the King and Amy O'Malley Trust for providing support to carry out this research.

PY - 2007/12

Y1 - 2007/12

N2 - This paper draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with 36 older men to examine how older men's understandings of independence relate to their help seeking behaviours and health service use. We argue that discourses of masculinity and successful aging are both represented in men's talk about independence. Recognising that these discourses are intertwined is important for understanding how older men seek help and use health services. We outline the practice and policy implications of viewing older men's help seeking behaviours in this way, and how it might be useful for promoting older men's health.

AB - This paper draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with 36 older men to examine how older men's understandings of independence relate to their help seeking behaviours and health service use. We argue that discourses of masculinity and successful aging are both represented in men's talk about independence. Recognising that these discourses are intertwined is important for understanding how older men seek help and use health services. We outline the practice and policy implications of viewing older men's help seeking behaviours in this way, and how it might be useful for promoting older men's health.

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KW - Independence

KW - Masculinity

KW - Successful aging

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M3 - Article

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SN - 0890-4065

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SP - 325

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JO - Journal of Aging Studies

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IS - 4

ER -

"I've been independent for so damn long!": Independence, masculinity and aging in a help seeking context

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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