Gender Role Discrepancy Stress and COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors Among Men in the United States.

Purpose: To examine the associations between gender role discrepancy (non-conformity to socially prescribed masculine gender role norms) and discrepancy stress (distress arising from this discrepancy) on COVID-19 prevention behaviors among men, and the potential moderating effects of race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and income on these relationships. Design: A national online survey was conducted between May and June 2021. Setting: The United States. Subjects: 749 adult men residing in the United States. Measures: A scale measured gender role discrepancy and discrepancy stress. COVID-19 prevention outcomes were constructed and included self-reported vaccination status/intentions, social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand-sanitizing. Analysis: Multivariate generalized linear models were performed in SPSS. Results: Gender role discrepancy associated with greater odds of vaccination (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.02-1.78, P =.04), while discrepancy stress associated with lower odds of vaccination (AOR =.48, 95% CI =.35-.68, P < 0. 001) and mask-wearing (AOR =.54, 95% CI =.37-.79, P =.001) for men overall. Discrepancy stress's negative effect on specific COVID-19 prevention behaviors was only apparent or was amplified for men in lower income brackets (vaccination, social distancing, mask-wearing), racial/ethnic minority men (vaccination), and sexual minority men (social distancing). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that gender role discrepancy stress negatively affects men's engagement in COVID-19 prevention, particularly for men in marginalized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]