Health & wellbeing

Addressing men’s health

Xanthe Grace, our Health and Wellbeing coordinator, focuses on men’s health and why it is so important that there is greater focus in this area.

When it comes to prevention and early detection, men’s health often takes a back seat to women’s health. However, research shows that, compared to women, men are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, take more risks and generally lead less healthy lifestyles. In addition, men are more likely to put off routine check-ups and also delay seeing a doctor for symptoms of a health problem. Compared to working-aged women, workingaged men are also less likely to have a regular doctor and health insurance.

The good news is that many of the health conditions and diseases that men face can be prevented or treated. The key is early detection, as it generally increases the chances of successful treatment.

To help men to understand the importance of early intervention, it is vital to understand their risk factors and how they can improve their overall health.

The most common conditions affecting men are heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes and cancer (in particular prostate, testicular, and colon cancer). Heart Disease Risk factors for heart disease include: • High blood cholesterol levels • High blood pressure • Diabetes • Obesity • Cigarette smoking • Physical inactivity • Increasing age • Family history of early onset of heart disease Preventative measures: • Reduce saturated fat • Increase high fibre foods such as fruit and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds • Limit alcohol intake, try to abstain for at least three days a week and no more than 14 units per week • Stop smoking • Increase physical activity Cancer Risk factors for cancer can include: • Overweight or obesity • High fat diet • Low fibre diet • Excessive alcohol intake • Physical inactivity Studies conducted by the Cleveland Clinic in America have found that men often convince themselves their condition will improve on its own and cite that they don’t want to bother a doctor in the meantime. Superhero syndrome was also mentioned, in that men are much more averse than women at feeling vulnerable. The main factors that prevented men from visiting a doctor were fear and concerns about how they would cope with a worrying diagnosis.

It is important to raise awareness around the fact that these feelings are hard-wired into men and that it is normal to be worried. However, it should always be stressed that visiting a doctor as soon as you begin to have symptoms will result in the best chance of a positive outcome.

Shockingly, there is no men’s health strategy in the UK, unlike other countries such as Australia and Ireland. In March 2022, this issue was debated in Parliament and it was outlined why men’s health needs to have a specific focus. There were some shocking statistics given, including: • One in five men in the UK do not live until they are 65, with an increasing gender age gap • Thirteen men take their own lives every day • Men in Kensington and Chelsea live 27 years longer on average than those in some parts of northern England • One man dies of prostate cancer every 45 minutes • Nearly 6,000 men die an alcohol-related death every year • Two thirds of men are overweight or obese Part of the problem is the current focus on the outcomes of poor men’s health, rather than addressing the underlying causes and barriers, and how to make the health system more responsive. If suicide, alcoholism and obesity are addressed as separate issues, it is overlooked that they are often a result of similar circumstances.

It also needs to be examined why there is such a vast health disparity in the UK. Men who live in economically disadvantaged areas are dying from a whole range of illnesses far earlier than men who live in more affluent areas. There is no innate biological reason for this, therefore a joined-up approach is needed.

There are a number of things that can be done to improve this situation such as campaigns that encourage men to access the health system. Men’s health should be approached from a positive perspective, basing it on need. Finally, a 10-year men’s health strategy is needed, such as the one developed in Australia, that provides a robust, holistic framework focusing on a preventative, rather than a reactive, approach.

Men’s health seems to be pushed away in a corner and, in the meantime, the NHS continues to creak under the burdens of unhealthy lifestyles. By having a positive focus and a strategy around men’s health, it is hoped that it will improve some of the huge geographical and gender disparities in modern-day UK healthcare. www.dorsetchamber.co.uk/events