title: "I'm No Superman": Understanding Diabetic Men, Masculinity, and Cardiac Rehabilitation.
abstract: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs help patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) reduce their risk of recurrent cardiac illness, disability, and death. However, men with CHD and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) demonstrate lower attendance and completion of CR despite having a poor prognosis. Drawing on gender and masculinity theory, we report on a qualitative study of 16 Canadian diabetic men recently enrolled in CR. Major findings reflect two discursive positions men assumed to regain a sense of competency lost in illness: (a) working with the experts, or (b) rejection of biomedical knowledge. These positions underscore the varied and sometimes contradictory responses of seriously ill men to health guidance. Findings emphasize the priority given to the rehabilitation of a positive masculine identity. The analysis argues that gender, age, and employment status are powerful mechanisms of variable CR participation.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada craig.dale@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Craig M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Dale
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Angus
authors.affiliation: York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Seto Nielsen
authors.affiliation: College of the Rockies, Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Marnie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kramer-Kile
authors.affiliation: York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pritlove
authors.affiliation: Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lapum
authors.affiliation: Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marzolini
authors.affiliation: St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D057228:Masculinity; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: diabetes; education, patient; gender; health care, users’ experiences; heart health; illness and disease, chronic; illness and disease, experiences; masculinity; men’s health; rehabilitation