Ciência & Saúde Coletiva
Print version ISSN 1413-8123
GOMES, Romeu; NASCIMENTO, Elaine Ferreira do; REBELLO, Lúcia Emília Figueiredo de Sousa and ARAUJO, Fábio Carvalho de. The touched masculinity: a discussion about the digital rectal exam for prostate cancer prevention. Ciênc. saúde coletiva [online]. 2008, vol.13, n.6, pp. 1975-1984. ISSN 1413-8123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232008000600033.
The present study aims at analyzing the meanings attributed to the digital rectal exam, seeking to problematize questions underlying the masculine discourse on the basis of aspects of the hegemonic masculinity model. Semi-structured interviews were held with 28 men in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in 2004. Among the main results is the idea that the digital rectal exam is something that violates an interdicted space, something that compromises the current understanding of masculinity, shall say, the digital rectal exam does not only affect the prostate, it also affects the masculinity, puts it to shame. We conclude that for understanding and problematizing the questions related to the prostate cancer prevention in special, and to the question of taking care of oneself from the masculine perspective in general, we need to consider the structural and symbolic aspects that underlie these questions.
Keywords : Prostrate cancer; Prevention; Digital rectal exam; Masculinity.