Men's Perspectives of Caring for a Female Partner with Cancer: A Longitudinal Narrative Study

Young, Jenny; Snowden, Austyn; Kyle, Richard; Stenhouse, Rosie

Abstract

Increasing evidence on men's involvement in informal, unpaid care has not transferred to the research literature around men's experiences. The aim was to explore the perspectives of men who are caring for a female partner with cancer over 1 year. Longitudinal narrative interviews (n = 22) were conducted with eight men in the UK from 2018 to 2019. Participants were aged from 32 to 76 years old, were all white British and in heterosexual relationships with women diagnosed with a range of cancer types. Interviews were transcribed and then analysed using a structural and performance approach to narrative analysis. We present, across four scenes, a process of change, transition and emotion management as the men were launched into a role that came with new responsibilities and expectations. Our study advances knowledge by highlighting the way that men perform and reflect on their negotiation with masculine discourses while supporting their partner, with implications for policy, research and practice.

Citation

Young, J., Snowden, A., Kyle, R., & Stenhouse, R. (2022). Men's Perspectives of Caring for a Female Partner with Cancer: A Longitudinal Narrative Study. Health and Social Care in the Community, 30(6), e5346-e5355. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13956

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 16, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Aug 10, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022-11
• Deposit Date: Aug 10, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 10, 2022
• Journal: Health & Social Care in the Community
• Print ISSN: 0966-0410
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 6
• Pages: e5346-e5355
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13956
• Keywords: cancer, carer, family carer, gender, masculinity, men, narrative
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2894652