Identity (re)construction of the male ethos and masculinities in men’s health home care

Abstract

Objective: to understand the masculinities of men in home care based on male ethos construction. Method: qualitative research aligned with Raewyn Connell’s conception of masculinities and critical discourse analysis based on Norman Fairclough’s theoretical[1]methodological framework. A total of 58 users were interviewed between patients and caregivers of a home care public service. Results: two discursive centralities were identified: hegemonic masculinity and its ideologies; and the new male ethos: the admission of dependency. The presence of a non-hegemonic masculinity is perceived among the men in home care, whose particular home experiences favor historical, social, and cultural changes, giving rise to new concepts, meanings, and experiences. Conclusion: the masculine ethos of men cared for at home is marked by the condition of differentiation, it is aligned with a subordinate masculinity, although it is based on dominant ideologies. This new masculine ethos allows, in other analyses, to recognize the needs and the behavior of men in home care.