Men with higher levels of traditional masculine gender expression—quantified through an empirical measure known as male gender expressivity—may be up to 15% less likely to receive diagnoses or treatment for conditions like hypertension and diabetes, according to a recent cohort study.
"The findings of this cohort study suggest important yet easily overlooked connections between prevalent sociocultural pressures to convey masculinity and CVD risk," noted investigators.
In the study, published in JAMA Network Open, investigators assessed the association between male gender expressivity (MGE), reflecting sociocultural pressures to display masculine traits, and the diagnostic and treatment rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
The cohort study followed 4,230 male participants from adolescence to adulthood, analyzing how adolescent and young adult MGE could influence adult health outcomes, including diagnosing and treating hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.
Higher MGE scores during adolescence and young adulthood correlated with lower rates of hypertension and diabetes diagnoses and treatments in adulthood. Each 1-standard deviation increase in adolescent MGE was associated with an 11% reduction in the likelihood of hypertension treatment and a 15% decrease in diabetes diagnosis.
Comparatively, young adults with above-average MGE scores had lower prevalence rates of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia diagnoses (22%, 5%, and 19%, respectively) compared with those with below-average scores (26%, 8%, and 24%).
In multivariable models, elevated MGE was linked to a 7% decreased probability of antihypertensive use and a 10% decreased likelihood of hypoglycemic medication use.
Men with higher MGE levels were less likely to receive diagnoses and treatments for certain conditions, though MGE was not associated with physiological indicators like elevated blood pressure or HbA1c.
Prevalent sociocultural pressures to exhibit traditional masculine traits may influence help-seeking behaviors and, subsequently, the detection and management of CVD risk factors among men, concluded investigators.
Full disclosures can be found in the published study.