Movember and Men´s Mental Health
A Clinical Insights Blog Series
Let’s look at the full picture of the Real Report
The Broader impact: The report emphasizes that men’s health doesn’t just affect men, but has ripple effects on families, communities, and society as a whole.
Health inequities: The report highlights health inequities among men and demonstrates how poor men’s health impacts others, including women.
Preventable deaths: 2 in 5 men in Australia (37%) die prematurely before age 75, with most of these deaths being preventable.
Mental health concerns: Suicide is the leading cause of death among men aged 15-44 and the second leading cause for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
Healthcare engagement issues:
The report reveals that many men experience challenges with healthcare, including:
- 67% wanting to leave their healthcare practitioner due to lack of personal connection
- 60% waiting more than 7 days with symptoms before visiting a doctor
- 36% experiencing gender bias from healthcare practitioners
- 31% finding health information confusing and overwhelming
Key General Findings:
1. Premature mortality: 2 in 5 men in the UK (37%) die prematurely before age 75, with most of these deaths being preventable.
2. Mental health crisis: Suicide is the leading cause of death among men aged 15-44 and the second leading cause for some minority groups.
3. Healthcare engagement issues
4. Broader impact: The report emphasizes that men’s health doesn’t just affect men, but has ripple effects on families, communities, and society as a whole.
5. Funding gaps: Despite existing men’s health strategies, there is a lack of dedicated and consistent funding to deliver on their goals.
Key Surprising Findings:
1. Demographic disparities: The report reveals significant health disparities based on ethnicity and location:
- 77% of African UK men feel that gender stereotypes affect their behaviors and healthcare experiences
- 61% of Asian UK men are less likely to have received a diagnosis or been prescribed medication for their condition compared to White men (75%)
- 50% of minority ethnic men experienced bias from their healthcare practitioner.
2. Successful initiatives: The report showcases community-based programs, podcasts, and health promotion campaigns that have positively impacted men’s health, demonstrating effective approaches to engaging men in health issues.
3. Technology and innovation: The report suggests leveraging technology and digital platforms to reach younger demographics and provide more accessible health information and support.
Economic impact
The report highlights the substantial economic costs associated with poor men’s health, suggesting that improving men’s health outcomes could lead to significant savings in healthcare and social costs.
Key points regarding the economic impact of poor men’s health:
1. Substantial economic costs: The report emphasizes that poor men’s health has significant economic consequences, not just for men themselves, but for families, communities, and society as a whole.
2. Potential savings: Improving men’s health outcomes could lead to substantial savings in healthcare and social costs. The report suggests that investing in men’s health is an investment in the wellbeing and safety of women, families, and communities.
3. Productivity losses: Men’s premature mortality and morbidity result in lost productivity. For example, one study estimated that men’s premature mortality and morbidity costs the United States economy approximately $479 billion annually.
4. Healthcare burden: Poor men’s health outcomes lead to increased healthcare costs and utilization.
5. Impact on families: When men are unwell or die prematurely, it places financial and caregiving burdens on their families, particularly women.
6. Preventable conditions: The report notes that many of the health issues affecting men are preventable, suggesting that targeted interventions could yield significant economic benefits.
7. Call for investment: Movember calls for budget investment to successfully operationalize Australia’s National Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2030, arguing that such investment could lead to tangible improvements in men’s health outcomes and associated economic benefits.
Examples of several industries are particularly affected by men’s health issues
Construction: This industry is consistently mentioned as having significant health risks for men.
Because:
- Construction has an aging workforce with a higher propensity for chronic illness.
- Men over 40 in construction are at higher risk of suicide.
- 93.8% of construction workers are men.
- 83% of construction workers have experienced a mental health issue.
- Construction workers face an increased risk of lung cancer.
- Construction had the second-highest number of workplace fatalities in 2021.
Manufacturing: 71% of manufacturing workers are men.
Warehousing and storage: 66.3% of workers in this industry are men.
Mining: This industry has the highest rates of alcohol use among workers.
Transportation:
- 72% of all motor vehicle fatalities were men.
- 87% of cyclist deaths are men.
- 92% of motorcyclist deaths are men.
- These industries are particularly affected due to several factors:
- Physical demands leading to higher rates of injury and fatigue.
- Exposure to hazardous materials and environments.
- Higher rates of substance abuse, particularly alcohol and tobacco use.
- Mental health challenges, including stress, depression, and anxiety.
- Workplace cultures that may discourage seeking help or discussing health issues.
- Long or irregular work hours that can make accessing healthcare services difficult.
It’s important to note that these industries often have predominantly male workforces, which amplifies the impact of men’s health issues in these sectors.
The campaign aims to reach a global audience and inspire people to see themselves as part of the solution to men’s health issues.
References
https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:b83cbca5-ef20-4b5e-9952-1f29bc55b618/files/rws859g285
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-mens-health-risks-workplace-bobbi-hartshorne-qaqnf
https://ringland.com/prioritizing-mens-health-inthe-construction-industry
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5127922
https://onsite-medical.net/health/30-statistics-for-mens-health-month
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2819%2932759-X/fulltext
https://www.amhf.org.au/movember_report_highlights_the_impact_of_poor_men_s_health_on_everyone
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32879966
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8871832
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5344012
https://www.mhfi.org/RealFace.pdf
https://www.amhf.org.au/movember_report_highlights_the_impact_of_poor_men_s_health_on_everyone
https://lifeinmind.org.au/news/launch-of-the-movember-mens-health-institute
https://www.mhfi.org/RealFace.pdf
https://www.amhf.org.au/movember_report_highlights_the_impact_of_poor_men_s_health_on_everyone
https://www.mhfi.org/RealFace.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article
https://www.charityintelligence.ca/charity-details/388-movember-canada
American Cancer Society: [https://www.cancer.org](https://www.cancer.org)
the Movember Blog Series by Stephanie
With A little AI and OI | @smithclinic.eng
