Zealand Men Research Articles

Fashioning masculinity among young New Zealand men: young men, shopping for clothes and social identity

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how fashion clothing is perceived and consumed by young males, what their attitudes are toward fashion and how fashion is used in the construction of a social identity by these men. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory approach is used in this research, with the fashion consumption behaviours and perceptions of males aged between 19 and 25 explored. Findings Results note the positive role of social comparison amongst young men in their fashion-seeking behaviour, with fashion consumption playing a large role in the emotional well-being of young men in a social context. Research limitations/implications This research was exploratory in nature and used a small sample of males from a specific age cohort. As such, the results cannot be generalized but do offer analytical insights into male attitudes and behaviour toward fashion that can be extended in future research. Practical implications While the act of shopping for clothing was traditionally seen as a female recreation, fragmentation of the traditional male/female dichotomy has seen men become active in the social consumption ethic surrounding fashion. The current study examines the emergence of fashion-aware males and offers insight into the key motivations for young males to seek out fashion products. Social implications In a society where fashion seeking is a popular recreational activity across genders and changing notions of masculinity allow for more appearance focused men, shopping for clothes is no longer considered an exclusively female activity. Originality/value Where research has previously examined fashion items and their integral role in product-self extension from a female perspective, very little studies focus on males’ relationships with fashion. Whilst prior research has examined men’s self-image and self-modification via exercise or plastic surgery, there is little that focuses on the role of clothing in men’s identity creation.

Conflict in Men's Experiences With Antidepressants.

While men's experiences of depression and help seeking are known to be shaped by gender, there is little research which examines their experience of using antidepressants to treat this. This study is based on in-depth, narrative-style interviews with 20 New Zealand men who had used antidepressants. The analysis identified a number of areas of conflict in the men's accounts of using this medication. Conflict centered on the way taking antidepressants was seen as undermining personal control while also allowing users to take charge of their problems; facilitating general functioning while undermining sexual functioning; relieving emotional distress while undermining emotional vitality; and the tension participants felt between making autonomous judgments about the value of antidepressants and relying on the "expertise" of others. Participants negotiated these conflicts in a variety of ways. In some cases, antidepressants were positioned as being able to affirm aspects of traditional masculinity, while a smaller number of participants managed these conflicts by redefining aspects of their own masculinity in ways that contrasted with dominant constructions. This research is limited by the sample of older, more privileged men in the context of New Zealand culture which favors macho forms of masculinity. In similar contexts, mental health practitioners should be mindful of the conflicts that men might experience in relation to their antidepressant use. Facilitating men's exploration of these issues may enable them to make better decisions about treatment options or to provide more effective support to those who have opted for antidepressant treatment.

An Anthropological Perspective on Near-Death-Like Experiences in Three Men's Pregnancy-Related Spiritual Crises

Article bringing a transpersonal perinatal anthropological perspective to the study of three fathers' near-death-like experiences (NDEs) with the "spiritual emergencies" of three New Zealand men during their partners' pregnancies. It explores the seemingly anomalous male birth/death/rebirth experiences and draws some parallels with what some Western researchers have called "the shamanic crisis," and compares their stories with the symbolic reproductive maneuvers of shaman midwives.

A pilot study to investigate if New Zealand men with prostate cancer benefit from a Mediterranean-style diet.

Carcinoma of the prostate is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the third leading cause of mortality in New Zealand men, making it a significant health issue in this country. Global distribution patterns suggest that diet and lifestyle factors may be linked to the development and progression of this cancer. Twenty men with diagnosed prostate cancer adhered to a Mediterranean diet, with specific adaptations, for three months. Prostate-specific antigen, C-reactive protein and DNA damage were evaluated at baseline and after three months of following the diet. Dietary data were collated from diet diaries and an adaptation of a validated Mediterranean diet questionnaire. A significant reduction in DNA damage compared to baseline was apparent, with particular benefit noted for overall adherence to the diet (p = 0.013), increased intake of folate (p = 0.023), vitamin C (p = 0.007), legumes (p = 0.004) and green tea (p = 0.002). Higher intakes of red meat and dairy products were inversely associated with DNA damage (p = 0.003 and p = 0.008 respectively). The results from this small feasibility study suggest that a high-antioxidant diet, modelled on Mediterranean traditions, may be of benefit for men with prostate cancer. Protection against DNA damage appears to be associated with the diet implemented, ostensibly due to reduction in reactive oxidant species. These findings warrant further exploration in a longer trial, with a larger cohort.

Attitudes and Weight Management Practices of Primary Care Professionals Towards Large New Zealand Men

Attitudes and Weight Management Practices of Primary Care Professionals Towards Large New Zealand Men

“You Don’t Wanna be the Big Fella”. Narratives from New Zealand Men

“You Don’t Wanna be the Big Fella”. Narratives from New Zealand Men

‘The silence of the Sphinx’: The delay in organising media coverage of World War II

None of those New Zealand men who served as official war correspondents in World War II are alive today to tell their stories. It is left to the media historian to try and piece together their lives and actions, always regretting that research had not started sooner. Sadly there is more information available about World War I and the life and actions of Malcolm Ross, the country’s first official war correspondent, than there is about New Zealand’s World War II correspondents. Nevertheless, remembering the work of these journalists is important, so this is a first attempt at chronicling the circumstances surrounding the appointment of the first of the official correspondents, John Herbert Hall and Robin Templeton Miller, for the 1939-45 conflict. The story of the appointment of men to cover the war, whether as press correspondents, photographers, artists or broadcasters, is one of ‘absurd delays’ which were not resolved until nearly two years of the war had passed.

Information-seeking to support wellbeing: A pilot study of New Zealand men

In New Zealand, compared to women men have poor health outcomes in a range of domains. Men also report barriers (both personal and structural) in seeking information to improve health and wellbeing. This paper reports a pilot project that investigated the information-seeking of New Zealand men during episodes of mental and physical ill health. The research investigated the ways in which information can be provided to encourage men to engage in information-seeking in a more timely way to improve their health and wellbeing. Results suggest that New Zealand men face considerable barriers accessing information and support and that the pathways to care are often unclear or absent. These findings demonstrate challenges and opportunities to service providers in terms of engaging men. Further research opportunities are also discussed.

Management and Characteristics of Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer in a Cohort of New Zealand Men

Objective: This study aims to (1) characterise men diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, (2) describe their management and (3) look at their survival. Methods: We identified patients registered with prostate cancer in the New Zealand Cancer Registry in the Midland Cancer Network region in 2009-2012 and examined these patients' clinical records to identify the metastatic cases. We investigated the patients' characteristics and the treatment pattern. All-cause survival was estimated by the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Of the 2,127 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, 234 (26 Maori/Pacific and 208 non-Maori/non-Pacific) were diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer. After the diagnosis, 194 (82.9%) patients received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), 5 had chemotherapy and 104 (44.4%) had radiotherapy. Of the patients treated with ADT, 46 (23.7%) had no monitoring prostate-specific antigen tests. Fifty-nine percent of the patients were alive after 12 months and 35% after 24 months. The hazard ratio for the Maori/Pacific men was 1.49. Conclusion: Overall, the survival of patients with metastatic prostate cancer was poor. There seems to be a strong case for the development of New Zealand guidelines on the management of metastatic disease including the use of first-line treatments, the ongoing monitoring for the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and the treatment of CRPC. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

“Nursing is no place for men” ― A thematic analysis of male nursing students experiences of undergraduate nursing education

Background: Surprisingly, opinion about whether men are suitable within the profession continues to be a divided issue. Men enter the profession for a multitude of reasons, yet barriers whether emotional, verbal or sexual are still present. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the experience of men “training” to be registered nurses within a regional New Zealand context. Design: A Narrative Analysis approach was used. Participants: Five New Zealand men currently undertaking their bachelor of nursing degree at a regional tertiary institute were interviewed as to their experiences of what it meant to be a man in “training”. Method: A thematic analysis was undertaken and guided by an understanding of the way personal narratives informs the human sciences especially within the context of nursing praxis. Four key themes were identified. Results: Four key themes were identified: A career with flexibility and promise; perceived gender inequality in providing care; developing professional boundaries with female colleagues and being unique has its advantages. Conclusion: The men in this study were attracted to the profession by career stability and advancement; the opportunities for travel also figured highly. At times they felt excluded and marginalised because of their minority status within their group and the feminine nature of the curriculum. The men attempted to dispel the myth around male nurse sexual stereotypes. Some of the students behaved in a manner to exert their heterosexualness. The students in this study sensed their vulnerability in choosing nursing as a career. However, all the participants saw nursing as viable and portable career in terms of advancement and travel.

Men’s netball or gender-neutral netball?

In this article I examine whether justice in New Zealand is better served through the provision of gender-inclusive or gender-segregated men’s netball competitions (where netball began as a late 19th century women’s version of basketball). While the New Zealand Men’s Netball Association (henceforth called the ‘men’s association’) was initially established in 1984 under an inclusive ethos rooted in Māori community-based and fa’afafine1-based competitions, by the end of that most overtly transgender and fa’afafine players were excluded so as to boost the association’s heterosexist credentials. This process culminated in 2004 when the men’s association was replaced by the New Zealand Men’s and Mixed Netball Association (henceforth called the ‘mixed association’). While in principle medically verified postoperative transgender women may now play in mixed-gender leagues, virtually none do. Furthermore, anyone who foregoes such treatment – including fa’afafine – must dress as a man in order to play. If it is the coercion that makes coercive gender segregation problematic then perhaps justice would be best served if men’s netball was a gender-neutral activity. This seems consistent with the gendered history of both netball and men’s netball in New Zealand.

The Use of Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) and Chemotherapeutic Agents in New Zealand Men with Prostate Cancer

Purpose: To assess the patterns of use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and chemotherapeutic agents in New Zealand men with prostate cancer.Methods: Men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 2006 and 2011 were identified from the New Zealand Cancer Registry. Through data linkage with the Pharmaceutical Collection and the National Minimum Dataset information on subsidised anti-androgens, luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues, chemotherapeutic agents, and orchidectomy was retrieved. The frequency of ADT and chemotherapy use in the first year post-diagnosis was assessed by patients' age, ethnicity, and extent of disease at diagnosis.Results: The study population included 15,947 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, of whom 4978 (31%) were prescribed ADT or chemotherapeutic agents. ADT was dispensed for 72% of men with metastatic disease. Only 24 (0.2%) men received chemotherapeutic agents. Men with advanced (regional or metastatic) disease older than 70 were more likely to receive anti-androgens only and to be treated with orchidectomy compared with younger men. Māori and Pacific men (compared with non-Māori/non-Pacific men) were more likely to receive pharmacologic ADT, and Māori men were also more likely to be treated with orchidectomy.Conclusions: It was expected that all men diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer should be using ADT in the first year post-diagnosis. However, for more than one-fourth of men neither anti-androgens nor LHRH analogues were dispensed within this period. Chemotherapeutic agents were used very rarely, so it seems that both pharmacologic ADT and chemotherapy is under-utilised in New Zealand patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Body mass index in relation to semen quality and reproductive hormones in New Zealand men: a cross-sectional study in fertility clinics

Is there an association between body mass index (BMI) and routine semen analysis parameters in adult men? No significant correlation was found between BMI and semen parameters measured with the exception of normal sperm morphology. Multiple cross-sectional studies have found inconsistent results, with two meta-analyses finding no correlation between BMI and semen parameters. A relationship between BMI and male reproductive hormones, particularly total testosterone, has been established in several studies and a systematic review. Cross-sectional study of 511 men recruited at the time of semen analysis over 4 years (2008-2012). Men presenting for semen analysis for any reason at participating fertility clinics in Auckland, New Zealand were recruited, with BMI measured or self-reported at this time. Exclusion criteria included azoospermia and pathological conditions of male genital tract. Conventional BMI categories were used (underweight <18.5 kg/m(2), normal 18.5-24.99 kg/m(2), overweight 25.00-29.99 kg/m(2), obese ≥30 kg/m(2)). The routine semen analysis results for sperm concentration, total sperm count, sperm motility (total motility), sperm morphology, semen volume and total motile sperm (primary outcome) from one semen sample were recorded. Consent from 175 men was obtained to measure LH, FSH, estradiol, total testosterone, free testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in a blood sample (secondary outcome). Associations between BMI and these outcomes were assessed using Spearman correlation and analysis of variance, and a multiple linear regression analysis was performed. In addition, the relative risks for men having abnormal semen analysis results according to reference ranges of the World Health Organization, such as oligozoospermia, were calculated. This study has sufficient power to detect a doubling in abnormally low sperm concentration and total sperm count in overweight or obese men compared with men with normal BMI. Participation rate was not recorded. The body mass indices from measured and self-reported samples had an equivalent range of values which did not differ statistically. Median BMI was 27.1 kg/m(2) [10th-90th percentile: 22.8-32.9]. Overall, 72.8% of the study population were overweight or obese (BMI >25 kg/m(2)), while 19 men (3.72%) had a BMI of 35-40 kg/m(2) and 7 men (1%) had a BMI of >40 kg/m(2). No significant correlation was found between BMI and the semen parameters measured with the exception of normal sperm morphology (r = 0.12, P = 0.024), although this finding is derived from only 330 samples. Overweight and obese men showed no significantly increased relative risk of abnormal semen parameters. Of the reproductive hormones, significant negative relationships with BMI were found for total testosterone (r = -0.35, P = <0.0001), free testosterone (r = -0.25, P = <0.0012) and SHBG (r = -0.44, P = <0.0001). Multiple linear regression analysis also showed that BMI had a marginally significant effect on normal sperm morphology (effect estimate =0.47, P = 0.038). In addition, <2 days of abstinence was negatively associated with semen volume (effect estimate =-0.80, P = 0.0074) and summer season was negatively associated with sperm concentration (effect estimate =-14.9, P = 0.020). The power of this study is limited by the relatively small overall sample size, although it does have one of the largest proportions of obese men (23.3%) in published cross-sectional studies. The study involved samples from men attending a fertility clinic, who are likely to have a lower semen quality and higher rate of pathology compared with the general population, therefore limiting the possible generalization of this study to all adult men. Our findings are consistent with those of other cross-sectional studies as well as two meta-analyses but do disagree in part with the most recent meta-analysis (which found significant odds ratios for oligozoospermia and azoospermia with increased BMI) and with studies measuring DNA fragmentation index. Therefore a definitive conclusion on the effect of BMI on semen quality remains uncertain while our data reinforce previous findings that BMI is negatively associated with male reproductive hormones. All funding for this study was from New Zealand academic and charitable sources including: Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland (New Zealand), the Mercia Barnes Trust of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Nurture Foundation for Reproductive Research. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Screening for prostate cancer in New Zealand general practice

To ascertain the rates and patterns of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in New Zealand men. The study population included 35,958 men aged 40+ years, with no prior diagnosis of prostate cancer, enrolled in 31 general practices in the Midland Cancer Network Region of New Zealand in 2010. Computerized practice records were searched for information, including reasons for testing, for men with elevated PSA test results in 2010. PSA results for 2007-2010 were obtained from community laboratories. Screened men were identified and screening rates calculated by age. Of 9344 men who underwent one or more PSA tests in 2010, 84.9% were classified as having been screened. The overall screening rate was 22.1%, with 24.4% of men aged 70+ years screened. Elevated PSA levels were found in 2.1% of screened men. Of the men screened in 2010, 57.3% had had a screening test in the previous three years. General practitioners in New Zealand commonly screen men (including those aged 70+) for prostate cancer, despite the lack of trial evidence that these men would benefit from screening. The value of annual PSA testing in men with previous normal PSA levels is unproven. Longer intervals between tests would be appropriate.

‘It's kind of me taking responsibility for these things’: Men, vasectomy and ‘contraceptive economies’

This article examines vasectomy as a gendered practice of (non)reproductive masculinity. Reporting on interview-based data, in which a number of New Zealand men made sense of the operation, this article used critical thematic analysis to extract themes from semi-structured interviews with participants who had vasectomies in ‘typical’ circumstances. Primary themes of ‘taking responsibility’ and ‘vasectomy as an act of minor heroism’ were extracted from the data. We will argue that men constructed their ‘new found’ responsibility (and the heroic slant they added to it) within an ‘economy of gratitude’, meaning any involvement by men in the reproductive/contraceptive sphere is worthy of particular praise and value. While there may be some strategic value in these ideas, they draw upon existing discourses of orthodox masculinities and in this way may perpetuate (rather than challenge) the notion that men are doing something ‘special’ by having a vasectomy. This ‘specialness’ has the potential to ratify ongoing male privilege within heterosexual relationships, rather than the disruption that (at face value) it appears to be generating.

Eating for health: Perspectives of older men who live alone

AbstractAim: To investigate the perspectives of older, single‐living New Zealand men towards healthy eating.Methods: Twelve semistructured interviews with men aged 75 to 89 years using mixed methods and a general inductive analysis approach. To enrich description, participants were assessed for nutrition risk using a validated questionnaire, Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition, and nutrition knowledge using the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire.Results: Six of the men were assessed to be at high nutrition risk. Eating alone was the most common nutrition risk factor. The mean score for the nutrition knowledge questionnaire was 58.3 ± 12.7 out of maximum score of 110. Three core themes related to healthy eating practices emerged from the analysis. Firstly, the men were influenced by their individual circumstances. Limited finances and a lack of personal transport were barriers to healthy eating and were partially ameliorated by reliable, support networks. Secondly, a lack of nutrition knowledge and cooking skills impinged on both healthy eating and meal enjoyment. Thirdly, food‐related values held by the men impacted eating behaviours positively or negatively.Conclusion: The present study provides an insight into the perspectives of older men towards their food‐related activities. Past experiences shaped their approach towards healthy eating. Community programmes need to identify those at nutrition risk, provide those at need with knowledge and skills and promote meal sharing. Initiatives need to be cognisant of the food‐related values, desire for time and effort efficiency and the explicit needs and wishes of older men.

‘I’m committed to her and the family’: positive accounts of vasectomy among New Zealand men

Background: More than 15 years ago, the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) identified men’s involvement with reproductive and contraceptive tasks as vital for improving women’s reproductive health worldwide. The uptake of vasectomy provides one measure of men’s involvement in reproductive and contraceptive actions, but uptake requires the negotiation of a complex set of social and psychological meanings related to masculinity, sexuality and contraceptive involvement. The limited research in this area paints a largely negative picture around vasectomy, emphasising fears, side effects, and men being pressured into having the operation, but it is not the only account of vasectomy. Objectives: The aim of this research was to examine the accounts of New Zealand men who had undergone vasectomy. Method: Interviews with 28 men who had opted to have a vasectomy (16 had children; 12 did not) based in New Zealand, a country with a high rate of vasectomy, offer a more positive portrayal of the meanings and experiences of vasectomy. Results: Men referred to vasectomy as a positive reflection of their identities, and their choice to have it as exemplifying personal characteristics they valued. Such accounts disrupt the common-sense story of vasectomy as negative or difficult for men, and allow it to be positioned as a positive choice for heterosexual male reproductive involvement and responsibility

A Clinical Nomogram to Predict the Successful Shock Wave Lithotripsy of Renal and Ureteral Calculi

Although shock wave lithotripsy is dependent on patient and stone related factors, there are few reliable algorithms predictive of its success. In this study we develop a comprehensive nomogram to predict renal and ureteral stone shock wave lithotripsy outcomes. During a 5-year period data from patients treated at our lithotripsy unit were reviewed. Analysis was restricted to patients with a solitary renal or ureteral calculus 20 mm or less. Demographic, stone, patient, treatment and 3-month followup data were collected from a prospective database. All patients were treated using the Philips Lithotron® lithotripter. A total of 422 patients (69.7% male) were analyzed. Mean stone size was 52.3±39.3 mm2 for ureteral stones and 78.9±77.3 mm2 for renal stones, with 95 (43.6%) of the renal stones located in the lower pole. The single treatment success rates for ureteral and renal stones were 60.3% and 70.2%, respectively. On univariate analysis predictors of shock wave lithotripsy success, regardless of stone location, were age (p=0.01), body mass index (p=0.01), stone size (p<0.01), mean stone density (p<0.01) and skin to stone distance (p<0.01). By multivariate logistic regression for renal calculi, age, stone area and skin to stone distance were significant predictors with an AUC of 0.75. For ureteral calculi predictive factors included body mass index and stone size (AUC 0.70). Patient and stone parameters have been identified to create a nomogram that predicts shock wave lithotripsy outcomes using the Lithotron lithotripter, which can facilitate optimal treatment based decisions and provide patients with more accurate single treatment success rates for shock wave lithotripsy tailored to patient specific situations.

Do Maori and Pacific Islander men present with more advanced prostate cancer than European New Zealand men? An analysis of 486 men undergoing biopsy in Auckland

• To address the question of whether Maori and Pacific Islander men in Auckland present with more advanced prostate cancer at diagnosis than New Zealand European or European men. • A retrospective database audit was undertaken of all men presenting for a first prostate biopsy under the Auckland Hospital Urology Service in 2005 and 2006. • Ethnicity was coded from self-identification codes on hospital databases. • Population numbers were obtained from the 2006 Census figures from Statistics New Zealand. • Primary outcome measures used as surrogates for advanced disease were PSA level at biopsy, Gleason Score and palpable abnormality on digital rectal examination and rates of metastatic disease as determined by nuclear medicine bone scan. • There was no appreciable difference when Maori and Pacific Islander men were compared with European men for median PSA level (13.30 vs 12.55 ng/mL, P = 0.264); median Gleason score (7 and 7), mean Gleason score (7.0 vs 6.9, P = 0.196) or the proportion of Gleason Score 7 or 8-10 (P = 0.431) • There was no difference between the rates of metastatic disease at presentation (11.5% vs 7.8%, P = 0.376). • There appeared to be a significant difference in the proportion of Maori and Pacific Islanders presenting with palpable disease (67.2%) compared with European men (53.3%, P = 0.042). • The crude population biopsy rate per 100,000 was similar for Maori and Pacific Islander and European men (560 vs 547). • Maori and Pacific Islander men present with similar prostate cancer characteristics to European men at diagnosis but there appears to be a real discrepancy in the rates of palpable disease.

"No country for old men": A note of the Trans-Tasman Income Divide

Although much work has been done analysing the possible causes of the New Zealand- Australian income gap, to date there has been little analysis of the extent to which this gap differs by gender and age. Using New Zealand and Australian employment and census data we examine these differences and find that (1) over the last 25 years the incomes of New Zealand women have declined less rapidly than those of New Zealand men, relative to Australian incomes; (2) this poor relative performance of New Zealand males was felt most by those in middle age; and (3) the stronger relative income growth of New Zealand females appears to be largely driven by increased public sector wage growth, and as such, its long term sustainability is questionable.