Gearing Up for Men’s Health Week: June 2011

Last week Peter Baker, Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum (MHF), signalled in the BBC health news, men’s ignorance towards obesity and its associated health risks, “Too many men are simply failing to recognise the health risks of being overweight”.  Peter Baker claims that, while women tend to have a good understanding of the factors that affect their weight, because of the desire and cultural pressure to be slim, men on the other hand, do not.  As a result, a higher proportion of men are now considered to be overweight or obese, which can create serious health problems and lead to premature death.  The statistics reveal that sixty-six percent of men compared to fifty-seven percent of women are overweight.

The health news has been published just two months prior to Men’s Health Week in June: Get a Man Online.  This year, the focus will be on how new technology can be used to improve men's health. 

The Health Issues:

Evidence from the Men’s Health Forum makes it clear that men’s health is unnecessarily poor.  Too many men still die too young – Twenty-two percent of men in England and Wales die before they reach sixty-four compared to thirteen percent of women. 

Obesity and overweight are considered as a major cause for the excess burden of male death.  Not only does being overweight increase the risks of heart disease, stroke and diabetes but it is also an important risk factor for several cancers.  The statistics reveal that men are seventy percent more likely to die from cancers common to both sexes and are sixty percent more likely to get such a cancer.  The number of prostrate cancer has grown to over 34,000 a year. 

Additionally, studies have consistently demonstrated that men are more likely to commit suicide, smoke, have poorer diets and consume higher levels of alcohol.  The statistics show that one in eight men is dependent on alcohol, are three times more likely than women to become dependent on alcohol and twice as likely to die from alcohol-related diseases.  All these health issues are further exacerbated by the fact that men are less likely to access health services available to them, or to take part in health improvement programmes.  

Why the gender inequality?

Men tend to believe that weight is a “women’s issue” and they appear to be less aware of the connection between excess weight and poorer health.  Being physically active could make a notable difference in men’s health, particularly as evidence shows that active men have a twenty to thirty percent reduced risk of early death and up to fifty percent reduced risk of developing major diseases.  However, as men get older they stop partaking in exercise because they become worried about injuries or fearful of not being able to “keep up” like when they were younger.  Peter Baker said, “We need to improve men's physical activity levels, whether through sports or building exercise into routine”.

Moreover, studies have shown that men visit their GPs twenty percent less often than women and are less likely to use pharmacies and other health services.  In a survey of UK male consultations in 2008, it was found that only one in eight men (12%) had visited their GP in the last 14 days compared to 17% of women.  The reason for this “under utilisation” of preventative health care has been attributed to physical and social factors including machism, men’s relative lack of articulacy and inexpressiveness and the inaccessibility of service.

Peter Baker argues that society and men’s own attitude to men’s weight means that services do not really cater well for men.  Thus, services such as NHS weight loss are not man friendly; “We need male-friendly approaches capable of engaging with men and we need them soon - especially in primary care and health promotion”. 

Men’s Health Week (13-19 June 2011) Get A Man Online

--Trips to the doctor may be uncomfortable experience for some men, whereas the internet is discreet and can direct men towards the right services--

Many health problems, which affect men, can be prevented with increased education and intervention or be cured with early detection and treatment.  Consequently, it is essential that men take responsibility for their own health and well-being.  This year Men’s Health Week, supported by RSPH, will focus on how new technologies can be used to improve men’s health.  It is believed that technology may be the tool needed to engage men into taking responsibility for their own health.  If information can be presented in a format that is both appealing and easy to access, they are more likely to use it.  Technology, such as smartphone apps, could potentially deliver health prevention messages in a clear, manageable and interesting way as well as signposting them to health services.  For further information on Men’s Health Week, please visit http://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/21706-mens-health-week-2011. 

As a lead up to Men’s Health Week, the Royal Society for Public Health has developed an innovative Men’s Health course on the 13^th May.  The one day event, which is supported by the Men’s Health Forum, aims to increase health and community practitioners’ understanding of how gender socialisation and masculinity can affect male health beliefs and behaviour.   The course will also aim to increase awareness of the main health problems affecting men; lifestyle factors, which influence men’s health, and barriers men face in using health services.  By identifying appropriate ways to engage men in healthy lifestyle initiatives and increasing male service access, we become closer to reducing existing gender health inequalities.  For further information or to book onto the course please click here or contact Nicolette Smith. 

When talking about men’s health it is also important to remember that any health problems men face are likely not only to affect their lives, but also that of their family, friends and colleagues. Therefore men need to make sure they are looking after their health for the benefit of others as well as themselves.