Masculinity in young men with arthritis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring masculine identity, coping strategies and self-management techniques as demonstrated by young men in response to inflammatory arthritis
IRAS ID
280772
Contact name
Ruben Walsh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of the West of England, Graduate School
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study will explore the experiences of young men living with inflammatory arthritis, in particular the specific ways in which they manage their disease and how they develop their masculine identity in the face of a chronic (ongoing) condition. Arthritis is characterised by chronic pain, fatigue, pain and potential joint damage. Living with the disease can also cause significant burden to the patients mental health and wellbeing, for example higher chance of anxiety and depression.
Arthritis is not limited to older populations – young people can also get the disease. There is no cure for arthritis, and this means that young people diagnosed will have to manage the disease for their whole life - balancing ongoing pharmaceutical and physical treatments while growing up in increasingly complex social environments. It is therefore essential that healthcare services and professionals know exactly how to best support these young people to help improve their long-term health outcomes.
Young men and women engage with healthcare services differently and develop different techniques for self-managing their disease. The ways in which young men cope with arthritis are poorly understood and therefore this study is a chance to get a much better understanding of their unique experiences. Through better understanding, we hope to improve their engagement with healthcare and so improve their health outcomes. We are particularly interested in how living with arthritis can affect the ways in which a young man develops their masculine identity.
This study will include young men aged 16-25 who have a diagnosis of arthritis. They will be recruited from NHS Trusts across England and will be invited for interviews to share their experiences and opinions on the subject. These experiences and opinions will be compiled into a set of findings to help improve practice in healthcare.REC name
North West - Greater Manchester East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0413
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion