The complexities of nursing research with men

Abstract

There has been a proliferation of nursing and other research on women's health over the last thirty years but a similar interest in men's health has not materialised. Within this paper we seek to explore the issues that need to be taken into consideration when conducting research with (or on) men. It outlines the current thinking on men and masculinity and the social development of stereotypes of men. The position of men with regard to the development of feminist thinking is also explored.
The paper develops the argument by an examination of the different stages of the research process in nursing. The effect of gender on the setting of the research question; the choice of methodology; obtaining the data; analysis; discussion and dissemination of the findings of research conducted upon men are considered. We suggest that there is a requirement to consider the gender of both researched and researcher during the research process.