Men's health

Citation

Orwin, T. (2000), "Men's health", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 30 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2000.01730faf.003

Men's health

Men's health

Men's health compares badly with that of women throughout their lives. Their life expectancy is five years shorter and this health gap is wider for men from less affluent backgrounds. Life expectancy for men in the highest social class is 74.1 years and for women in the highest social class it is 79.5 years. For men in the lowest social class it is 71.2 years compared with 77.8 years for women in the same social class. Young men are four times more likely to die from suicide or in accidents than teenage girls. Male death rates for coronary heart disease are up to five times higher than those for women.

Men are also less likely to visit a doctor when they are ill and are less likely to report the symptoms of disease or illness. This can mean that their condition has worsened by the time they do seek diagnosis. Foetal mortality rates are also higher among baby boys. The partners, sisters and daughters of men who die prematurely or whose chronic illness requires years of care have much to gain from improving men's health, too.

Public Health Minister, Yvette Cooper, has recently announced new proposals to promote men's health and to reduce the health inequalities which exist between men and women. She said that by recognising the gender gap in health we can see where the differences are and can modernise health promotion and health services to respond to the needs of men as well as women. The proposals include the development of new schemes to encourage men to be diagnosed earlier and the assurance that health campaigns are aimed at men as well as women. The Government is also taking action on the diseases that are more likely to kill men.

Over 10,000 men die from prostate cancer every year, yet little research has been carried out around the world into early detection of the disease as well as the best treatment and prevention methods. The Government is determined to tackle this issue and has given an extra £1 million funding for prostate cancer this year. The Cancer Research Funders' Forum has been asked to look at prostate cancer at its first meeting. Action to improve men's health will not just help men: it is good for women, society and the economy, too.

Other action the Government is taking to improve men's health includes improving access to primary care for men who are less likely to use GP services in normal working hours. These include NHS Direct, NHS Direct online and walk-in centres. The Government is also hoping to prevent disease generally by introducing a campaign to stop smoking and to reverse rising obesity through diet and exercise especially through Health Action Zones. A strategy to reduce levels of alcohol misuse and a sexual health strategy to reduce levels of sexually transmitted infections including AIDS and HIV are also being introduced.

High blood pressure rates for middle aged men are more than double those of women. Among 35 to 50 year olds, 28 per cent of men have high blood pressure compared to 12 per cent of women. Men are also more susceptible to stroke and respiratory diseases. Suicide is the second most common cause of death in men aged 15 to 24 after road accidents. It is a tragedy that so many young men reach the point where they feel suicide is the only route left, sometimes simply because they did not feel they could talk to anyone about their problems. Now a new helpline has been introduced in Merseyside and Cumbria to reduce the number of young men taking their own lives.

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) was introduced in Manchester and is now being extended to Merseyside and Cumbria with an extra funding of £325,000. The Manchester helpline has taken nearly 15,000 calls so far and it is hoped that similar numbers of young men concerned with personal troubles will continue to call. CALM provides free, confidential access to trained counsellors who can provide help, support and advice. Counsellors can offer support to callers from anywhere in the country. The number to call is 0800 585858.