Provide a 3 pages analysis while answering the following question: Gender Role Norms and Health. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. The researchers, however, argue that women can become economically empowered through microfinance initiatives and be able to realize improvements in self-confidence and esteem, solve household conflicts as well as participating in decision making (p. 1795). Conversely, through their IMAGE study, the researchers argue that microfinance interventions empower women economically and helps to reduce sexual IPV or physical violence by enabling them to challenge gender violence, demand better treatment, leave violent relationships, mobilize community groupings to denounce gender-based violence, in addition to, addressing the problem of HIV/AIDS infections (P. 1798).

On the other hand, Pulerwitz et al. (2015) argues that, “Certain gender norms—or social expectations about men’s and women’s appropriate roles, rights, and responsibilities—have been shown to be associated with the risk of IPV as well as the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)” (p. 132). However, through interventions aimed at addressing inequitable gender norms, reductions in violence and positive health outcomes can be realized (P. 132). This can be realized by incorporating boys and men in initiatives aimed at shunning inequitable gender norms by changing their attitudes and beliefs, as well as the need for inclusive household decision-making (p. 135).

B. Emic perspective on gender roles

The emic knowledge is predominant in cultural setups and is guided by the people`s beliefs, meaning and is determined by the local customs or norms. In the African American society, there exist MSN, who are men who have sex with other men. The emic approach can help in carrying out an investigation into the cultural factors contributing to MSN that has led to the widespread of HIV/AIDS among African American men. Taking an insider’s perspective, it is possible to understand gender norms and be able to distinguish appropriate gender roles, responsibilities and rights for each sex (Pulerwitz et al., 2015). Thus, using the emic approach the men engaged in MSN can be able to under their roles in the society and thus desist from the behavior of perceiving other men as partners and thus in the process avoiding engaging in sexual activities that lead to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Many married immigrants, Mexican men in the US, carry out maiden jobs that were initially meant for women and in the process are getting paid sex, thus putting them at risk to contract HIV/AIDS. Pulerwitz et al. (2015) states that, “Certain gender norms—or social expectations about men’s and women’s appropriate roles, rights, and responsibilities—have been shown to be associated with the risk of IPV as well as the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)” (p. 132). Thus, by helping the Mexican men understand their roles and cultural male norms associated with risk behaviors such as acceptance and use of condoms can help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS (p. 135).

C. Marital status

Marital status influences the health of heterosexuals in western countries. For instance, a research conducted in the U.S. to determine the probability of survival of a person who has undergone heart surgery and is married or single revealed that married persons had higher chances of surviving compared to the singles that were unmarried, divorced or widowed. The research, for instance, indicated that marital status had a strong protective impact of survival on persons for up to five years after heart surgery (Idler, Boulifard & Contrada, 2012). The researchers went ahead to say that, “The hazard of mortality is overall approximately twice as great for the unmarried as it is for married patients, male or female, about to undergo cardiac surgery” (p. 45). This was because the married persons got greater support from the family, friends, states and the government compared to the unmarried. Conversely, a meta-analysis study on lesbian, bisexual persons and gay indicate that these groups have higher rates of self-harm, mental disorder and suicidal ideation than heterosexuals (Wight, LeBlanc & Lee Badgett, 2013, p. 339). This research also indicates that heterosexual marriages averagely experience better outcomes of health mental health compared to the unmarried (p. 339).