Primary Care Strategies to Foster Health Care Seeking in Service Members

Gender roles and socialization may partially explain why help seeking patterns in men are historically lower than in women, especially related to emotional problems and depressive symptoms.

Primary care providers have an important role in fostering their patients’ health, and building healthy behaviors. Men, who constitute the majority of those who have served or will serve in OIF and OEF, consistently underutilize health and mental health services often putting themselves and their family members at potential risk. Gender roles and socialization may partially explain why help seeking patterns in men are historically lower than in women, especially related to emotional problems and depressive symptoms.