(Re)constructing Intersectional Masculinities Following Myocardial Infarction.

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Health Psychology
• Men's Health

Background:

• Myocardial infarction (MI) significantly disrupts men's lives.
• Masculinity influences how men perceive and manage health challenges.
• Social factors like class and age intersect with men's experiences of illness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the negotiation of masculine subjectivities in men with myocardial infarction (MI).
• To examine how class and age shape men's meaning-making of their illness experience.
• To understand how masculinity influences adaptation to life changes post-MI.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study using interview data.
• In-depth analysis of experiences from 24 Swedish men diagnosed with MI.
• Exploration of meaning-making processes related to illness and masculinity.

Main Results:

• Men construct diverse masculinities, including stoicism, control, reflexivity, and responsibility.
• Culturally dominant masculine ideals (autonomy, productivity) are often prioritized over care-oriented ones.
• Masculinity, intersected by age and class, presents both barriers and facilitators to managing MI-related life changes.

Conclusions:

• Masculinity is dynamically negotiated, not fixed, in the context of myocardial infarction (MI).
• Socioeconomic position and age significantly shape how men experience and adapt to illness.
• Understanding these intersections is crucial for supporting men's recovery and well-being after MI.