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Let’s Talk About Men’s Health

This week is Men’s Health Week, a timely reminder for us to talk about men’s health and raise awareness of the preventable health problems affecting Australia’s men and boys.

We know that men and boys are less likely to talk about or seek help for any health concerns or issues they may have. We also know that men have a shorter life expectancy than women and die more often than women from preventable causes.

So let’s take a look at some of the major health issues affecting men and what can be done to help them live happier, healthier, longer lives.

Men’s Health – The Stats

According to the statistics, a baby boy born in Australia in 2010 has a life expectancy of 78 years, while a baby girl born at the same time can expect to live to 82.3 years of age. Men are also four times more likely to take their own lives than women and are more prone to accidents, cancer and heart disease.

To help address these gaps, the Federal Government developed a National Men’s Health Strategy in 2018 to better engage and support Australian men and boys across all stages of their lives and ensure they can live a long, fulfilling and healthy life.

The National Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2030 sets out a plan to tackle the five key priority health areas for men, including:

  1. Mental health
  2. Chronic conditions
  3. Sexual and reproductive health
  4. Injuries and risk taking
  5. Healthy ageing

Men and Mental Health

Mental health is about our ability to maintain healthy relationships with others and cope and function with the everyday trials, triumphs and challenges that life throws our way.

Continued or long-term feelings of distress and/or the inability to function and maintain relationships with others is a cause for concern and could indicate a mental illness. 

The earlier we seek help for any mental health concerns, the better; particularly as mental health conditions are associated with poor physical health and premature death from suicide.

Globally, men account for 3 out of 4 suicides. In Australia, that equates to the loss of 191 men per month by suicide, as highlighted in this video from Movember>>

There are a number of simple things men can do to help maintain good mental health, including:

  1. Stay connected – spend time with people who make you feel good.
  2. Talk – if you are struggling with your mental health, talk to your GP or someone you trust.
  3. Listen – if you know someone is having mental health issues, check in with them regularly.
  4. Eat well – eating a healthy diet is not only good for your physical health, it can also help to give you a better overall sense of wellbeing.
  5. Move more – keeping active can help you stay physically fit and mentally healthy and provides a healthy outlet for everyday stresses.
  6. Cut back on drugs and alcohol – drugs and alcohol change the way your body and brain work and can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression or make an existing problem worse.
  7. Get plenty of sleep – a good night’s sleep is crucial for your mental health and physical wellbeing.

Men and Chronic Health Conditions

Together, there are seven chronic health conditions that contribute to half of all adult male deaths in Australia. These are:

  1. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)
  2. Cerebrovascular Disease
  3. Type 2 Diabetes
  4. Bowel Cancer
  5. Lung Cancer
  6. Dementia; and
  7. Chronic Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Healthy lifestyle choices and reducing risk factors are key prevention tools against these chronic health conditions. To help reduce your risk:

  • Stay physically active by getting 150 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week and be active on 5 or more days per week.
  • Eat a balanced diet that includes sufficient fruit and vegetables and limit discretionary foods and drinks.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Steer clear of smoking and illicit substance use; and
  • Reduce your alcohol consumption.

Men and Sexual and Reproductive Health

Prostate and testicular cancer are both found in the male reproductive system, with prostate cancer being the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in males, accounting for a quarter of all cancer diagnoses.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in younger males aged 20-39 years.

While the survival rate for both cancers is high, early detection is the key. If you are aged over 50, are 45+ and of African or Caribbean descent, or have a family history of prostate cancer, talk to your GP about Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing. This is a simple routine blood test that measures the PSA concentration in your blood.

One of the easiest ways to reduce your risk of testicular cancer is to do a regular self-check and get to know what’s normal for you so that if things do change, you can act on it quickly. This short video from Movember shows you how>>

Men, Injuries and Risk Taking

According to the National Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2030, men account for the majority of the overall health burden related to injuries in Australia. This includes injuries due to assault and homicide, poisoning, alcohol and drugs, transport accidents, burns, drownings and falls, workplace related injuries, and self-inflicted injuries and suicide.

Males have been found to be more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour compared to females from an early age, and these behaviours tend to peak during adolescents and young adulthood.

One simple way to reduce your risk of injury is to stop and think twice before taking part in any potentially unsafe activity. If you think something is unsafe or dangerous, then you should probably avoid it. Keeping involved in sports, recreational activities, work and/or social networks can also help reduce the need to engage in risk-taking behaviours.

Men and Healthy Ageing

Eight of the ten top causes of death in Australian men are typically diseases of older age, including coronary heart disease (CHD), lung cancer, dementia, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), prostate cancer, bowel cancer and diabetes.

Taking a proactive approach to your health is the best way to influence your health and wellbeing as you get older and decreases your risk of developing chronic health conditions in later life.

This includes:

  • Remaining physically active throughout life;
  • Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and diet; and
  • Staying active socially and regularly engaging with family, friends and community.

Concerned about your health?

At Illawarra Medical Centre, we provide a range of men’s health services and work with our male patients to better understand and treat the health issues affecting them. We can provide assistance with blood pressure, prostate, cholesterol, diabetes, fertility, cardiovascular disease and general health concerns.

So, if you have any health concerns, book in with one of our GPs. Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

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