At Risk and in Peril: Men's Health in Peru and Recommendations for Future Research

Abstract

Academic literature devoted to population health in Peru is primarily focused on maternal and child health indicators and outcomes. By comparison, little is known about the health of Peruvian men, in particular, and the implications of the same for their well-being or for community health in general. This perspective article examines mental illness and substance dependency as experienced by Peruvian men but overlooked as related factors in their overall health, and not considered in relation to the health outcomes of women, children, and communities. It is argued that in developing analyses about population health, it is insufficient to focus narrowly on maternal and child health as indicators of well-being and development, and that it is worthwhile to consider a research agenda that incorporates the health of men—particularly those vulnerable because of socioeconomic conditions—into the broader equation.