title: Psychological gender of men with systolic heart failure: a neglected strategy to cope with the disease?
abstract: Diminished exercise capacity is a fundamental symptom of heart failure (HF), which is particularly disadvantageous for men for whom exercise capacity contributes significantly to their gender identity, self-esteem, and quality of life. In this study, we aimed to examine whether psychological gender would be different in men with systolic HF as compared with their healthy peers. The authors examined 48 men with systolic HF (age = 64 ± 10 years; body mass index = 28.3 ± 3.4 kg/m(2); NYHA I/II/III [%] = 25/65/10; left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] = 32.1 ± 7.8%) and 15 age-matched healthy men. Based on the results of the Polish version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the examined men were divided into four types of psychological gender: "masculine" (M), "feminine" (F), "unspecified" (U), and "androgynous" (A). None of the men with HF presented M type of psychological gender, whereas this type was found in 27% of the healthy men (p = .0002). The prevalence of both A (38% vs. 47%) and F (10% vs. 20%, both p > .05) types of psychological gender was similar between men with HF versus without HF. More men with HF fulfilled the criteria of the U type of psychological gender as compared with healthy peers (51% vs. 7%, p = .002). Men with HF and the F type of psychological gender were treated with spironolactone more frequently than those classified with the U and A types (both p < .05). The lack of "psychologically masculine" and the overrepresentation of "psychologically unspecified" gender types in the HF group suggests that psychological gender may be affected among men with HF.
authors: 1Students' Scientific Association, Laboratory for Applied Research on Cardiovascular System.
authors: Agata
authors: A
authors: Makowska
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Rydlewska
authors: Bartosz
authors: B
authors: Krakowiak
authors: Alicja
authors: A
authors: Kuczyłska
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Sorokowski
authors: Dariusz
authors: D
authors: Danel
authors: Bogusław
authors: B
authors: Pawłowski
authors: Waldemar
authors: W
authors: Banasiak
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Ponikowski
authors: Ewa A
authors: EA
authors: Jankowska
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D054143:Heart Failure, Systolic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: androgyny; femininity; heart failure; masculinity; psychological gender