The Health Effects of Masculine Self-Esteem Following Treatment for Localized Prostate Cancer among Gay Men
PURPOSE:
To
identify factors associated with masculine self-esteem in gay men following
treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa) and to determine the association
between masculine self-esteem, PCa-specific factors, and mental health factors
in these patients.
METHODS:
A
national cross-sectional survey of gay PCa survivors was conducted in
2010-2011. To be eligible for the study, men needed to be age 50 or older,
reside in the United States, self-identify as gay, able to read, write, and
speak English, and to have been treated for PCa at least 1 year ago. One
hundred eleven men returned surveys.
RESULTS:
After
simultaneously adjusting for the factors in our model, men aged 50-64 years and
men aged 65-74 years reported lower masculine self-esteem scores than men aged
75 years or older. Lower scores were also reported by men who reported recent
severe stigma. Men who reported feeling comfortable revealing their sexual
orientation to their doctor reported higher masculine self-esteem scores than
men who were not. The mental component score from the SF-12 was also positively
correlated with masculine self-esteem.
CONCLUSION:
PCa
providers are in a position to reduce feelings of stigma and promote resiliency
by being aware that they might have gay patients, creating a supportive
environment where gay patients can discuss specific sexual concerns, and
engaging patients in treatment decisions. These efforts could help not only in
reducing stigma but also in increasing masculine self-esteem, thus greatly
influencing gay patients' recovery, quality of life, and compliance with
follow-up care.
- 1 School of Health Sciences, College of Sciences and Health Professions, Cleveland State University , Cleveland, Ohio.
- 2 Center for Health Care Quality and Outcomes Research, Continuum Cancer Centers of New York , New York, New York.
- 3 Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts.
- 4 Gerontology Program, San Francisco State University , San Francisco, California.
- 5 Human Development and Family Studies, University of Connecticut , Storrs, Connecticut.
- 6 Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital , Bedford, Massachusetts.
- 7 Department of Health Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health , Boston, Massachusetts.
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