Expressions of Masculinity and Femininity in Husbands' Care of Wives with Cancer in Accra

Deborah Atobrah, Akosua Adomako Ampofo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This article explores the care that husbands in Accra, Ghana, provide for wives who have been diagnosed with cancer. Making use of an inductive, qualitative approach, the study analyzes observations of and in-depth ethnographic interviews conducted with five married female cancer patients and their husbands over a ten-month period. The results suggest a strong association among husbands' care, wives' responses to husbands' care, and cultural ideals of femininity and masculinity. The findings suggest that husbands' selective and often limited gender-based investments in unpaid care work make their sick wives exceedingly vulnerable in a context in which care for the terminally ill takes place predominately in familial settings.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)175-197
Number of pages23
JournalAfrican Studies Review
Volume59
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2016

Keywords

  • Ghana
  • Marriage
  • cancer
  • femininity
  • masculinity
  • spousal care

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