BORGES, J. H. B.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/6301875147205544; BORGES, Jaqueline Holanda Brito..
Resumen:
The social construction of the concept of masculinity contributes in a detenninant way to the
greater exposure of men to risk factors for illness. Given this, the Ministry o f Health realizes
the need to create the National Policy for Comprehensive Health Care for Man. Among its
I ines of action is the prevention of prostate cancer, which is considered to be the second most
common cancer among men. Among the preventive and early diagnosis measures for thls
pathology, the rectal examination is outstanding. The rectal touch permeates a very strong
stigma of hurting hegemoruc masculinity. Thus, the general objective of this research was to
evaluate the perception o f the men on the accomplishrnent o f rectal touch and its influence on
mate health. The literature review of this research is subdivided into two chapters, namely:
Masculinity and health; And Prostate Cancer: importance of performing rectal examination.
This study was methodologically observational and descriptive, with a qualitative design and
an intentional sample. lt was carried out with 13 men linked to the Luiza Dantas Family
Health Unit, in the city of Cuité - Paraíba, selected from the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
As an instrument for data collection, the interview was used a direct approach, directed by a
semi-structured script. As it is a study involving human beings, it was submitted to the
Research Ethics Committee of the University Hospital Alcides Carneiro, for analysis and
opinion, according to what is established by Resolution 466/12 ofthe National Health Council
under the Certificate of Presentation for Ethical Assessment CAAE No
58756016.0.0000.5182. From the results obtained emerged four thematic categories, being:
What men think about the rectal touch; The existence of injluencing factors in the male
perception about the rectal touch; Thousand and One Reasons for Not Achieving Ma/e Rectal
Touch and Strategies for Empowering Men on Recta/ Touch. Subcategories for categories 1
and li have been identified. In analyzing the results obtained, it can be seen that health
education contributes positively to the male perception about rectal touch, as well as about
health care as a whole, since rectal examination is the most feared examination among Men.
However, hegemonic thinking persists of strong and invulnerable masculinity, and it is
fundamental that the adoption o f healthy habits o f Jife be stimulated from childhood.