Masculine Hegemony and Online Health Information Seeking

• In Event: 343 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 24. Gender, Sexuality, and Health

Abstract

Theories of masculine hegemony support the notion that men are less likely to seek out health information compared to women. While prior studies indicate that men are less likely to report health-related problems support and engage in other preventative behaviors, less is known about the role of gender and age in the context of online health information seeking. This study examines men’s use of the Internet to search for health information paying particular attention to age cohort differences. Data were drawn from a population based study of Canadian Internet users surveyed in 2012. Logistic regression models estimated factors associated with an increased likelihood of searching online for health information for men. Findings confirmed that men were significantly less likely to use the Internet to search for health information compared to women across all age cohorts. Men in the 30s were most likely to use the Internet to search online for health information. Having dependent children, higher educational attainment, and also using the Internet to play games significantly increased the likelihood of searching for health information online. Findings provide general support for culturally dominant theoretical constructions of gendered health information seeking, yet highlight age and household composition as important contextual factors for applying theories of masculine hegemony to better understand men’s online health information seeking. Findings also suggest that using the Internet to disseminate critical health-related information may be effective if targeted to men through gaming or entertainment venues.

Author

• Michelle Pannor Silver, University of Toronto