Contribution of Health Behavior to Emergence of Non-communicable Diseases: The Male Gender Norms Perspective

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a global health concern as they constitute a leading cause of death for both men and women globally. Non-communicable diseases account for 41 million deaths per year and 71% of all deaths worldwide. In many societies, men tend to enjoy more privileges and opportunities than women, however, this does not necessarily result in better health outcomes for them. Masculinity in many cultures is characterized by risk-enhancing behaviors such as intake of alcohol, smoking, self-medication and, lower rates of medical facility usage. These behaviors predispose to Non-communicable diseases and directly influence the prevalence of the disease in the male gender. In this article, we explore the effect of gender characteristics on the prevalence of this increasing global health challenge.