Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 2007. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 3147. Adviser: Gene Schroder. Includes bibliographical references.

Disordered eating in men is said to be uncommon with men forming less than ten per cent of reported cases. Yet it has been suggested that the number of males with eating disorders is beginning to increase, affecting more men than ever before. This presents problems for healthcare services that have created previous models of support around women. Current research offers pathological and epidemiological data, including information about testing men for eating disorders using male-centred instruments. However, understanding is aetiolated due to a focus on medical accounts of male disordered eating, rather than focusing on the stories that men themselves have to tell. This exploratory qualitative study addresses this problem by focusing on men’s stories of disordered eating. Four men share their accounts of living with an eating disorder and these are analysed using a hermeneutic approach, in order to glean insights into their experiences with food, body and self. These insights include an examination of the meaning of fat male bodies, analysis of the phenomenon of gender ambivalence that prevails in men with disordered eating and the fragmented and colonised nature of the male eating disordered self. These represent an original contribution to understanding as they have not been considered elsewhere in the literature to date. Additionally, an extensive analysis of the male eating disorder literature, use of a hermeneutic methodology and the positioning of male eating disorders within the context of masculinities studies further add to the novel value of this research.

Submitted by Vanessa De Moraes (vanmoraes77@hotmail.com) on 2018-07-14T20:16:07Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Análise de fatores que levaram ao encaminhamento tardio em casos novos de câncer de próstata recebidos no Hospital Amaral Carvalho nos anos de 2015 e 2016.pdf: 2014135 bytes, checksum: a5eb85dede60a04ea178395c9a8b13cf (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Pizzani null (luciana@btu.unesp.br) on 2018-07-16T12:51:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 moraes_v_me_bot.pdf: 2014135 bytes, checksum: a5eb85dede60a04ea178395c9a8b13cf (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-16T12:51:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 moraes_v_me_bot.pdf: 2014135 bytes, checksum: a5eb85dede60a04ea178395c9a8b13cf (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-05-23 / O câncer de próstata é o tipo de tumor de maior incidência nos homens, atrás somente do câncer de pele não melanoma, é o segundo em mortalidade no Brasil, sendo um grave problema de saúde pública, pois mesmo sendo um câncer de crescimento lento e de simples detecção, muitos pacientes descobrem tardiamente a doença, diminuindo as chances de cura e de sobrevida. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram: desvelar alguns dos motivos do diagnóstico e encaminhamento tardio para um serviço de referência; analisar quais regiões encaminharam pacientes mais tardiamente e entender o itinerário terapêutico desses pacientes. Trata-se de uma pesquisa quanti-qualitativa, desenvolvida em duas etapas. No 1º momento realizou-se um estudo retrospectivo, descritivo e quantitativo de dados levantados junto ao RHC, de 1531 pacientes com câncer de próstata recebidos no Hospital Amaral Carvalho em 2015 e 2016. Na segunda etapa foi realizado um estudo qualitativo, com realização de 100 entrevistas, com perguntas fechadas e abertas. Entre os resultados destaca-se que a maioria dos pacientes está acima de 50 anos (97,77%), com média de 66 anos. A faixa etária de 70 a 79 anos apresentou o maior número de óbitos (3,66%) do total de 141 (9,21%), sendo o maior índice de pacientes com estádio IV (4,25%). 28,15% (431) dos pacientes chegaram com estádio avançado, sendo 131 da DRS VI (Bauru), 85 da DRS IX (Marília), 84 da DRS XVI (Sorocaba), 52 da DRS III (Araraquara) e os demais casos em menores números das demais DRS. Na 2ª etapa da pesquisa, constatou-se que dos 100 pacientes entrevistados: 78 são casados, 41 possuem de 3 a 4 filhos, 50 estudaram até o 4º ano, 67 já estão aposentados, 79 buscaram atendimento SUS. Dos sujeitos, 76 se autonomearam brancos, 68 não fumantes, 56 pacientes afirmaram possuir familiares com câncer, sendo o familiar mais citado foi o pai (21), e o câncer de próstata o de maior prevalência. Ainda 70 pacientes declararam fazer exames de prevenção, 55 tiveram sintomas, apenas 20 relataram encontrar dificuldades no encaminhamento ao serviço especializado e 43 aguardaram menos de um mês para o atendimento no HAC. A pesquisa constatou que os casos de pacientes com estágios mais avançados (III e IV) somaram 24,85% em 2015 e 32,53% em 2016. Os valores culturais relacionados à masculinidade se destacaram como o principal motivo do encaminhamento tardio destes pacientes. A desorganização e a falta de comprometimento de alguns profissionais da saúde básica também foram obstáculos no acesso aos serviços de alta complexidade. Como proposta de auxílio na detecção precoce do câncer de próstata, sugerimos: definição de um consenso sobre rastreamento; capacitação dos profissionais da rede básica para atendimento desta clientela; priorização de campanhas e trabalho coletivo com equipe multiprofissional; horário diferenciado para atendimento / Prostate cancer is the second most common type of tumor in men, behind only non-melanoma skin cancer. It is the second most common type of cancer in Brazil, being a serious public health problem. simple detection, many patients belatedly discover the disease, decreasing the chances of cure and survival. The objectives of the research were: to unveil some of the reasons for the diagnosis and late referral for a referral service; to analyze which regions referred patients later and to understand the therapeutic itinerary of these patients. It is a quantitative qualitative research, developed in two stages. A retrospective, descriptive and quantitative study of 1531 prostate cancer patients received at the Amaral Carvalho Hospital in 2015 and 2016 was carried out in the 1st stage. A second qualitative study was carried out with 100 interviews, with closed and open questions. Among the results it is highlighted that the majority of patients are over 50 years (97.77%), with a mean of 66 years. The age group from 70 to 79 years old had the highest number of deaths (3.66%) out of 141 (9.21%), being the highest rate of patients with stage IV (4.25%). 28,15% (431) of the patients arrived at an advanced stage, 131 of the DRS VI (Bauru), 85 of the DRS IX (Marília), 84 of the DRS XVI (Sorocaba), 52 of the DRS III (Araraquara) and the other cases in smaller numbers of the other DRS. In the second stage of the research, it was verified that of the 100 patients interviewed: 78 are married, 41 have 3 to 4 children, 50 have studied until the 4th year, 67 are already retired, 79 have sought SUS care. Of the subjects, 76 became white, 68 were non-smokers, and 56 patients reported having relatives with cancer. The most frequent family member was the father (21), and prostate cancer was the most prevalent. In addition, 70 patients reported having had preventive exams, 55 had symptoms, only 20 reported having difficulty in referral to the specialized service, and 43 waited less than one month for care at HAC. The research found that the cases of patients with more advanced stages (III and IV) totaled 24.85% in 2015 and 32.53% in 2016. The cultural values related to masculinity were the main reason for the late referral of these patients. The disorganization and lack of commitment of some basic health professionals have also been obstacles in accessing high complexity services. As a proposal to aid in the early detection of prostate cancer, we suggest: definition of consensus on screening; training of professionals in the basic network to serve this clientele; prioritization of campaigns and collective work with multiprofessional team; differentiated service hours.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-01-05T10:32:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 larissadrumondduarte.pdf: 1252299 bytes, checksum: f9473e4245c8a20623d442dcbe7de541 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-02-02T11:44:55Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 larissadrumondduarte.pdf: 1252299 bytes, checksum: f9473e4245c8a20623d442dcbe7de541 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-02-02T11:45:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 larissadrumondduarte.pdf: 1252299 bytes, checksum: f9473e4245c8a20623d442dcbe7de541 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-02T11:45:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 larissadrumondduarte.pdf: 1252299 bytes, checksum: f9473e4245c8a20623d442dcbe7de541 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-09-19 / Este estudo objetivou identificar e compreender as representações sociais dos homens usuários das unidades de atenção primária à saúde sobre o processo saúde/doença e analisar as representações sociais dos homens usuários das unidades de atenção primária à saúde sobre o processo saúde/doença e a maneira como se cuidam. O método utilizado foi a pesquisa qualitativa, fundamentada na Teoria das Representações Sociais. Participaram deste estudo, vinte e um homens cadastrados nas duas unidades que fizeram parte do estudo, com idades entre 23 e 58 anos. Para as entrevistas utilizou-se um roteiro semi-estruturado, contendo questões norteadoras, permitindo que os participantes se expressassem livremente. Para a organização e análise sistemática das representações elaboradas, utilizou-se como base o método de análise de conteúdo proposto por Bardin. As representações foram organizadas em quatro categorias de análise, sendo elas: A saúde na representação dos homens; A doença na representação dos homens; Representações dos homens sobre a maneira como se cuidam; Representações dos homens sobre a assistência e a resolutividade das questões de saúde na UAPS. As representações revelaram a saúde como algo indispensável e essencial para uma vida com qualidade, possibilitando a realização de todas as atividades cotidianas. Os participantes representaram a doença como uma patologia em si ou a falência de alguma parte do corpo, fazendo alusão ao modelo de assistência biologista. As representações revelam que os homens buscam ações como a auto-medicação, antes de buscar ajuda especializada. As representações revelam ainda que a resolutividade dos serviços é medida através do agendamento de consultas, encaminhamento para especialidades, distribuição de medicamentos e rapidez no atendimento. Sendo assim, são necessárias estratégias para integrar usuários e serviços, pensadas especificamente para esse público, reforçando o vínculo de confiança; repensar e reorganizar os serviços de saúde e a capacitação profissional para atuar na saúde do homem. Entendemos também que é necessário superar o modelo biomédico, estimulando a promoção da saúde e a prevenção de agravos. / This study aimed to identify and understand the social representations of men users in the primary health care units on the health / disease process; Analyzing the social representations of men users in the primary heath care units on the health / disease process and the way they care for themselves. The method used was the qualitative research, based on the Social Representations Theory. The study included twenty-one men registered in the units, corresponding to ten in the first unit and eleven in the second unit, aged between 23 and 58 years old. A semi-structured interviews were used, containing guiding questions, allowing participants to express themselves freely. For the organization and systematic analysis of elaborate representations, was used as basis, the method of content analysis proposed by Bardin. The representations were organized into four categories of analysis, namely: Health in the representation of men; The disease in the representation of men; Representations of men on how to care; Representations of men on assistance and solving health issues in the PHCU. Elaborate representations reveal health as something indispensable to life, essential for quality of life, making it possible to perform all daily activities. Participants represent the disease as a pathology itself or the failure of any part of the body, alluding to the biologist care model. The representations show that men seek actions as self-medication, before seeking expert help. The representations also reveal that the resoluteness of services is measured by scheduling appointments, referrals to specialties, drug distribution and speed in service. Therefore, it is necessary strategies for integrating user and services designed specifically for this audience, strengthening the bond of trust; rethink to reorganize health services and vocational training on man's health. We also understand that it is necessary to overcome the biomedical model stimulating health promotion and disease prevention

Orientador: Maria Cecília Goi Porto Alves / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T00:27:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bastos_TassiaFraga_M.pdf: 1997964 bytes, checksum: 9bfa403781786c185b8659596eacdbaa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Por muito tempo as mulheres têm sido o foco de estudos sobre saúde relacionada ao gênero, enquanto poucas pesquisas investigam as condições de saúde dos homens. A população masculina apresenta altas taxas de mortalidade, principalmente nas idades mais precoces, além de sofrerem mais de condições graves e crônicas de saúde e adotarem mais comportamentos prejudiciais à saúde. Nesse contexto, é importante conhecer o perfil dessa população em relação à saúde, considerando-se sua condição socioeconômica e de que forma a estrutura social influencia sobre seu estado de saúde. O presente estudo tem por objetivo avaliar desigualdades sociais em saúde, segundo escolaridade, entre homens de 20 a 59 anos residentes no município de Campinas. Os dados foram coletados por meio do Inquérito Domiciliar de Saúde, um estudo transversal, de base populacional, com amostra por conglomerados em dois estágios, realizado no município de Campinas em 2008-2009. Dentre as variáveis incluídas neste estudo estão as sociodemográficas, as de comportamentos relacionados à saúde, as de estado de saúde e as de uso de serviços de saúde. A escolaridade, variável independente principal, foi categorizada em 0 a 8 anos de estudo e 9 ou mais anos de estudo. Para estimar as prevalências e as associações, foi utilizado o teste qui-quadrado, com nível de significância de 5% e, para obtenção das razões de prevalência (RP) e seus respectivos intervalos de confiança, foi feita a regressão de Poisson. Esta análise foi realizada por meio do software STATA versão 11, que considera as ponderações relativas ao desenho amostral / Abstract: For long time women have been the focus of health studies related to gender, while little research investigating the health conditions of men. The male population has high rates of mortality, especially in younger ages and suffer more severe and chronic conditions of health and adopting more unhealthy behaviors. In this context, it is important to know the profile of this population in relation to health, considering their socioeconomic and how social structure influences on their health. The present study aims to assess social inequalities in health, schooling, men 20 to 59 years living in the city of Campinas. Data were collected through the Household Health Survey, a cross-sectional study of populationbased cluster sampling in two stages, held in Campinas in 2008-2009. Among the variables included in this study are the demographic characteristics, the behaviors related to health, the health status and use of health services. Schooling, the main independent variable, was categorized as 0-8 years of study and nine or more years of study. To estimate the prevalence and associations, we used the chi-square test, with significance level of 5% and to obtain the prevalence ratios (PR) and their respective confidence intervals, was performed by Poisson regression. This analysis was performed using the STATA version 11, which considers the weights for the sample design / Mestrado / Epidemiologia / Mestre em Saude Coletiva

Background: A range of factors contribute to men with cancer having worse mortality and morbidity rates than women. The research specifically focused on psychosocial issues and health behaviours in men with cancer, and factors affecting help seeking behaviour. Methods: A mixed-methods study recruited adult men with cancer in the East of Scotland. The quantitative cross-sectional study explored psychosocial issues, health behaviours, and desire for support. Data from the Scottish Longitudinal Study were accessed to check sample representativeness. The qualitative study built on the preliminary findings of the quantitative study and used semi-structured interviews to explore factors affecting men's access to support. Inductive thematic analysis was undertaken. Results: 127 men with cancer completed the questionnaire. Being separated or divorced, younger and living in a high deprivation area was associated with poor psychosocial outcomes and some lifestyle behaviours. Social support was also influential. Twenty participants were interviewed. Appraisal of, and coping with, cancer in addition to biopsychosocial antecedents, the role of masculinity, and service contexts impacted on help seeking. The findings support a modified model of the transactional model of stress and coping relevant to men with cancer, which is new and original since it specifically incorporates the role of masculinity, highlights feedback from coping to appraisal, and recognises important service context factors that impact men's service access choices. Discussion: Legitimisation of help seeking and the use of emotion-focused coping styles were needed by some men, particularly where ideas about masculinity played a strong role in men's appraisal of, and coping with cancer. Implications for practice and policy relate to the survivorship agenda given the ongoing support men with cancer may need. Related to this, there is a need to carefully tailor and advertise services to men, and for health professionals to help legitimise the use of certain coping strategies and services.

M.A. / Chronic degenerative disease is responsible for a high percentage of deaths in industrialised westernised communities. These findings are not surprising if viewed in the light that most people consider physical activity not to be a priority in their daily activities. During the last decade, it would seem that employers have realised that the health status of an employee can have a direct influence on productivity, efficiency and absenteeism in the working environment. In an attempt to lower health-related costs, reduce absenteeism and improve productivity, some employers have started implementing a variation of total wellbeing and workers’ support programmes as part of their employee assistance programmes. A pressing question is, however, how effective these wellness programmes are. In order to evaluate the effect of such a programme, the present study used a sample of 76 employees in middle- to top management at a big corporate company. During 2002, tests were performed on twelve CAD risk factors, after which an intervention programme was introduced. Twelve months later (2003), the first intermediate test was conducted, using the same protocol. The second intermediate test followed in 2004, duplicating the procedures. The post-test and data analysing were conducted four years after the first evaluations. Subjects were monitored for changes in: total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDLcholesterol, triglycerides, TC/HDL ratio, LDL/HDL ratio, fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist-to-hipratio and waist circumference. The Repeated Measures General Linear Model Test was used to determine significance (P ≤ 0.05) from pre- to post-test. A novel CAD risk score was also iv developed from peer-reviewed literature by considering each of the 12 CAD risk factors measured. The results demonstrated that the wellness programme decreased CAD risk by 26% amongst the 76 participants in this study. The TC, LDL-C, LDL/HDL-C ratio, TC/HDL-C ratio, fasting blood glucose, resting systolic blood pressure, resting diastolic blood pressure and waist-to-hip ratio improved significantly, while triglycerides showed a non-significant improvement. The three CAD risk factors that deteriorated significantly during the study period were high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, BMI and waist circumference. The major finding of this investigation thus suggests that a corporate wellness programme has long-term beneficial effects on CAD risk and that the reduction in CAD risk is mainly attributed to the beneficial effects of regular exercise.

The study of men’s health behaviors has received a great deal of attention worldwide. Studies have been conducted to identify determinates related to men’s health care usage. Masculinity and spousal control are well accepted determinates of men’s health care seeking. However, the concept of masculine capital and how it factors into men’s health care seeking has been a relatively new topic of research. The researchers do not believe there has been a study to date that examines the social control wives place on their husbands, and how that social control may influence their spouses’ health, how masculinity plays into men’s health behaviors, and how men maintain masculine capital in the face of social control, if at all. Therefore, this study sought to examine how masculinity and the social control wives placed on their husbands intersected. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the study sought to gain a greater understanding of how wives exert social control over spousal health behaviors. Second, the study sought to examine how men maintain masculinity, specifically masculine capital in the face of social control that their wives placed on their health behaviors. Focus groups were conducted with married male participants in Cache County, Utah. Umberson’s 1987 model of social control was modified to analyze the data. The constructs of masculinity and masculine capital were added to Umberson’s original constructs of family relationships, social control, health behaviors, and physical health/mortality. In addition, the construct of social control was substituted for spousal social control. At the conclusion of the research study, the research team changed the unidirectional arrows leading from the concept of masculinity and masculine capital to bidirectional arrows to reflect the idea that masculinity and masculine capital not only affect the concept of family relationships, spousal social control, and health behaviors, but those elements in turn affect masculinity and masculine capital. The researchers found the updated proposed model to be accurate in that masculinity and masculine capital influence many realms of a man’s life and that spousal social control can have a great influence on a man’s health-related behaviors and physical health.

The aging population and burden of chronic conditions have led researchers and practitioners to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based programs (EBPs) for older adults. The Healthy Aging Regional Collaborative (HARC) was established to make EBPs including Diabetes Self-Management Program, Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Matter of Balance, and EnhanceFitness (EF) accessible in south Florida. According to the REAIM model, reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance determine the impact of EBPs. Evaluation of HARC demonstrated widespread adoption of EBPs by community organizations that reached diverse participants and effectiveness among participants attending the recommended number of sessions, but only 19% of EBP participants were male, and only 25% of EF participants met attendance criteria for adherence. This mixed-methods dissertation explored program instructor and coordinator perspectives on barriers and strategies related to male participation in EBPs, examined predictors of short-term and long-term adherence to EF, and applied a theoretical framework to explore participant and instructor perspectives on factors influencing adherence to EF. Fourteen program coordinators participated in a focus group to identify barriers and strategies to improve male participation, and 49 instructors participated in a survey to triangulate findings. Themes among barriers to male participation included women outnumbering men in programs, incompatibility of programs with male gender roles, and preference for other activities. Themes among strategies included endorsement by male community leaders, advertisements featuring males, and content adaptation. Among 5,619 EF participants, logistic regression confirmed age, race/ethnicity, gender, and health status as significant predictors of adherence. The likelihood of short-term and long-term adherence increased with age and health. Black participants were less likely than whites to adhere short-term (OR=0.82, p=.05) but more likely to adhere long-term (OR=1.77, p=.000). Hispanics were more likely than whites to adhere short-term (OR=1.25, p=.008) and long-term (OR=1.30, p=.001). Men were more likely to meet the criteria for short-term (OR=1.47, p=.001) and long-term adherence (OR=1.19, p=.04). Interviews with 12 adherent EF participants and 10 instructors revealed cues to action, goals, beliefs, intentions, program factors, social factors, and benefits that supported adherence. Findings inform efforts to improve participation and adherence in EBPs and maximize their impact on health among older adults.

Introdução: As representações coletivas que alicerçam os ideais de masculinidade hegemônica distanciaram os homens heterossexualmente ativos das respostas à epidemia de HIV ao longo das últimas décadas, o que resultou no aumento da vulnerabilidade desses indivíduos em diversos países do mundo, inclusive no Brasil. Entretanto, a partir do paradigma da prevenção combinada, a Profilaxia Pós-exposição Sexual (PEPsexual), bem como outros métodos baseados no uso de antirretrovirais, torna possível novas formas de gerir os riscos de infecção pelo HIV, ao mesmo tempo em que traz novas questões a serem enfrentadas. Objetivos: O objetivo desta pesquisa é caracterizar os homens heterossexualmente ativos e seus comportamentos sexuais, considerando risco e prevenção à infecção pelo HIV, e explorar os significados atribuídos ao risco de contrair HIV e às formas de gerenciamento de risco entre homens heterossexualmente ativos que buscaram a PEPsexual em serviços em cinco cidades brasileiras. Metodologia: O perfil e o comportamento dos homens foram descritos utilizando a abordagem quantitativa, com dados obtidos das consultas iniciais de PEPsexual registradas em prontuários clínicos. Foram analisados todos os homens atendidos nos serviços nos anos de 2014 e 2015, sendo realizada análise descritiva. O significado do risco e o gerenciamento das vivências foram analisados utilizando a abordagem qualitativa, por meio de entrevistas em profundidade (16) com usuários dos serviços, com foco na situação que levou ao uso do método, bem como as experiências com o uso da PEPsexual. Para a análise dos dados empíricos empregou-se o método de interpretação de sentidos, de acordo com os princípios hermenêuticos-dialéticos. Resultados: Com base nas características descritas no eixo quantitativo, os participantes são, em sua maioria, adultos jovens, com idade média de 31 anos, altamente escolarizados, brancos e sem uso prévio da PEPsexual. A maioria das exposições aconteceu com parceria casual. O uso da camisinha foi mencionado pela maioria dos participantes, no entanto, a falha do preservativo foi o principal motivo pela busca da profilaxia. A maioria dos usuários relatou não conhecer a sorologia da parceria envolvida na exposição sexual, além disso as frequências de testagem sorológica para HIV, Hepatites B e C, Sífilis e Anti-HBs anteriores ao episódio da exposição sexual foram baixas. A análise dos dados qualitativos mostra que a camisinha é o principal e mais acessado método de prevenção à infecção pelo HIV, mas sua efetiva utilização foi condicionada a diversos fatores subjetivos e contextuais. As relações sexuais com parceria estável oferecem maior sensação de proteção, enquanto que a percepção de risco aumenta quando as relações são com parcerias casuais ou em ambientes associados às populações mais vulneráveis à infecção, como profissionais do sexo ou casas de swing. Evitar ou reduzir, ao máximo, o número de relacionamentos extraconjugais, utilizar mais consistentemente o preservativo e buscar informações especializadas emergiram como estratégias amplamente utilizadas pelos participantes. A PEPsexual consistiu numa oportunidade de reflexão acerca da forma de pensar e fazer prevenção não só ao HIV, mas também às outras ISTs. O estigma relacionado ao uso de antirretrovirais e a necessidade de esconder a medicação dos amigos e familiares foram elementos disparadores de autorreflexão acerca das vulnerabilidades pessoais frente à epidemia. Os participantes que planejaram ações concretas e detalhadas de prevenção após uso da PEPsexual foram também aqueles que relataram maior autopercepção do risco individual. Conclusão: As características dos usuários PEPsexual nos cinco serviços investigados revelam que os homens heterossexualmente ativos brancos, altamente escolarizados e jovens são maioria entre aqueles que buscam a profilaxia. No entanto, grande esforço deve ser direcionado às ações de prevenção à infecção pelo HIV entre diferentes segmentos dos homens heterossexualmente ativos, considerando os marcadores sociais de classe, cor, raça e geração. Os ideais de masculinidade hegemônica permearam os discursos de percepção e gerenciamento de risco à infecção pelo vírus. Ações de sensibilização devem ser direcionadas para que tais padrões de masculinidade sejam ressignificados a fim de diminuir a vulnerabilidade dos homens em geral e, mais especificamente, entre os segmentos dos heterossexuais / Introduction: The collective representations that support the ideals of hegemonic masculinity have distanced the heterosexually active men from the responses to the HIV epidemic over the last decades, which has resulted in the increased vulnerability of these individuals in several countries around the world, including Brazil. However, from the new prevention paradigm, Sexual Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEPsexual), as well as other methods based on the use of antiretrovirals, make possible new ways of managing the risks of HIV infection, while bringing new issues to be addressed. Objectives: The objective of this research is to characterise heterosexually active men and their sexual behaviours, regarding risk and prevention of HIV infection, and to explore the meanings attributed to the risk of contracting HIV and the forms of risk management among heterosexually active men who sought PEPsexual in services in five Brazilian cities. Methodology: The profile and behaviour of the men were described using the quantitative procedure, with data obtained from the initial consultations of sexual PEPs documented in clinical reports. All the records from the men who have searched the services in the years 2014 and 2015 were analysed, and a descriptive analysis was performed. The meaning of risk and the management of the experiences were interpreted using the qualitative approach, through in-depth interviews (16) with users of the services, focusing on the situation that led to the use of the method, as well as the experiences with the use of PEPsexual. For the analysis of the empirical data, the sense interpretation approach was used, according to the hermeneutic-dialectic principles. Results: Based on the characteristics described in the quantitative component, the participants are mostly young adults, with a mean age of 31 years, highly educated, white and without previous use of PEPsexual. Most of the sexual HIV risk behaviours happened with a casual partnership. The use of condoms was mentioned by most of the participants; however, condom failure was the main reason for searching the PEPsexual prophylaxis. Most participants reported not knowing the serology of the partner involved in the sexual encounter and the frequency of serological testing for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis and Anti-HBs before the episode of sexual exposure was low. The analysis of qualitative data shows that condoms are the main and most widely used method of HIV prevention, but their effective use has been conditioned by diverse subjective and contextual factors. Stable sexual relations offer a greater sense of protection, while the perception of risk increases when the relationships are with casual partnerships or in environments associated with populations most vulnerable to HIV infection, such as sex workers or swing houses. Avoiding or minimizing the number of extramarital relationships, using condoms more consistently, and seeking specialized information emerged as strategies widely used by participants. PEPsexual consisted of an opportunity for thinking on how to prevent not only HIV but also other STIs. The stigma related to the use of antiretrovirals and the need to hide medication from friends and relatives were self-reflexive triggers about personal vulnerability to the epidemic. Participants who planned concrete and detailed prevention actions after using PEPsexual were also those who reported greater self-perception of individual risk. Conclusion: The characteristics of PEPsexual users in the five services studied reveal that heterosexually active white man, highly educated and young are the majority among those who seek PEPsexual prophylaxis; however, great effort should be focused on actions to prevent HIV infection among different segments of heterosexually active men, regarding the social markers of class, colour, race and generation. The ideals of hegemonic masculinity permeated perceptions and risk management discourses to HIV infection. Preventive actions should be undertaken to replace such masculinity patterns in order to reduce the vulnerability of men in general and, more specifically, among heterosexual segments