Antecedents, appraisal, coping, and legitimisation: factors affecting help seeking in men with cancer

Abstract

Background: Men with cancer typically access support services to improve their psychosocial health or health behaviours less than women with cancer. This study aimed to explore the factors affecting help seeking behaviour to make recommendations for the development of interventions for men with cancer. Methods: Adult men with a diagnosis of cancer in the East of Scotland were recruited for a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis and a coding framework was developed as themes emerged. Findings: Twenty participants were interviewed. A complex range of factors impacted on men’s help seeking. Appraisal of, and coping with, cancer and biopsychosocial antecedents, including the role of masculinity, along with service contexts impacted on help seeking and psychosocial outcomes. The themes that emerged reflected a modified model of the transactional model of stress and coping relevant to men with cancer. Legitimisation of help seeking and the use of some coping styles were needed by some men to access supportive services. This was particularly apparent where ideas about masculinity played a strong role in men’s appraisal of, and coping with cancer. Discussion: Implications for practice include the need to carefully tailor and advertise services to men, and for health professionals to help legitimise the use of certain coping strategies, including help-seeking. Services may need to be gender-sensitive without over-emphasising the role of masculinity in order to support men to access specific services and promote broader help-seeking behaviour.