Masculinities and mental health: a look at the management of health care offered to men in a municipality in the Northeastern Sertão

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationships between masculinities and mental health based on the care provided to men who access the SUS in the Pernambuco hinterland. Anchored in gender studies and contributions from the field of masculinities, it understands psychic suffering as a socially situated experience, crossed by gender norms, power relations, and structural inequalities. The research adopts a constructionist theoretical-methodological approach and was conducted in a CAPS III, using interviews/ conversations with mental health professionals. The analysis of discursive practices examined repertoires about gender, masculinities, and health that inform the management of care provided to men. The results indicate that, although professionals recognize the influence of gender norms on the experience of male suffering, these understandings do not always translate into care practices. There is a persistence of a biomedical logic marked by the centrality of symptoms and by referrals for psychiatric hospitalization. The study also identifies professional strategies aimed at building a bond and adherence to treatment, problematizing the risks of reinforcing gender stereotypes. It is concluded that the critical incorporation of discussions about masculinities in mental health practices is essential to improve care and promote more comprehensive and equitable attention to men.