Cambodian boys’ transitions into young adulthood: exploring the influence of societal and masculinity norms on young men’s health

Abstract

A growing body of evidence focuses on the experiences of young men in low-income countries, including their health vulnerabilities. Much of this research has been conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. Limited evidence exists on the norms influencing boys' transitions into young adulthood in Southeast Asia, and in Cambodia in particular. To help fill this gap, we conducted a comparative case study using participatory methods with 16-19-year-old young men in rural and urban Cambodia, and with the adults who intersect in their lives. Findings suggest that in line with their counterparts growing up elsewhere, Cambodian boys welcome becoming young men as a time of newly acquired adult roles and responsibilities, while some may experience growing up as a time of bodily change, burgeoning sexual feelings and limited sources of support and guidance. As a result, some may strive more intensely to conform to the alcohol use and violence modelled by the older men in their environments. Additional research is needed to better understand the vulnerabilities of boys' transition into young adulthood in Cambodia today, and how to prevent or reduce engagement with these more negative practices.

“When I woke up I was so worried and ashamed, I thought it was a disease”: Adolescent boys’ transitions through puberty in Kenya

“…Subsequently, many boys were left on their own and thus frequently sought (often incorrect) advice from older boys. This is similar to findings from Tanzania ( 30 ) and Cambodia ( 42 ), both of which revealed the silence around body changes experienced and maintained by boys and the older men in their lives, along with discomfort felt by parents to engage with puberty topics. In response to this challenge, several countries have begun approaches to engage boys in puberty education with positive outcomes.…”

“…The findings that adolescent boys experienced feelings of anxiety and confusion about their pubertal body changes, such as wet dreams and erections, are similar to findings from studies conducted with adolescent boys in Cambodia and Tanzania; in both countries a number of boys interpreted the natural signals of maturation as a form of disease ( 30 , 42 ). The Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS), which explored experiences of early adolescence among youth and parents in Kenya and Nigeria, identified the same concerns among boys, although some also expressed pride in their physical maturation ( 43 ).…”

Hearing the unheard voice‐puberty experiences of young Pakistani men: A qualitative study

“…There were also social and cultural norms that created gender stereotypes and influenced participants' adult identity development. These findings mirror a Cambodian study conducted on young males (Scandurra et al, 2016) and a study on Irish young males (O'Beaglaoich et al, 2015), where societal norms of masculine identity often created gender role conflicts among these individuals. In the context of Pakistan, this is the first study where participants' shared that their male adult identities were formed during puberty, as part of similar societal norms with them experiencing pressure to develop certain stereotypical identities.…”

“…A common observation is that gender‐related social norms (i.e. masculinity) and restrictive cultural factors often discourage boys from speaking about or seeking information on taboo subjects, or getting engaged in research related to sensitive topics such as, puberty (Ali et al, 2004; Iqbal et al, 2017; Saewyc, 2012; Scandurra et al, 2016; Sommer et al, 2013; World Health Organisation [WHO], 2000). Pakistani society is dominated by these socio‐cultural factors and gender norms, where adolescents, particularly males are often more hesitant to share their puberty concerns.…”

An Overview of Period Poverty and the Public Health Benefit Impact of Providing Free Feminine Hygiene Products

“…The use of such makeshift feminine hygiene products can be unsafe and possibly lead to complications such as infections, fertility issues, toxic shock syndrome, and cervical cancer [1]. However, using alternative products or items in times of extreme need is deemed acceptable by a majority of women given that most public bathrooms do not readily offer free feminine hygiene products [7][8][9][10][11]. Easy access to feminine hygiene products is crucial in order to prevent menstruations from having further detrimental impacts on an individual's productivity as well as their mental and emotional health, especially in emergency situations.…”