Movember shares the state of men’s health in Australia

Posted 29th July 2024

Movember has released a new report capturing the state of men’s health in Australia. The Real Face of Men’s Health report shares the current health concerns of men in Australia and the loss of life attributable to preventable disease. The report explores male help-seeking behaviours, support networks, and calls for government investment to improve men’s health and prevent the negative impacts of ill-health for individuals, families and communities.

The report drew on the experiences of 1,658 men on their health and healthcare experiences and behaviours, as well as national data sources.

The report highlights men’s poor health can have significant impacts on those who care for them, their families, and the whole economy. Findings of new research commissioned for the report estimate that Australia spent approximately $10.7 billion in 2023 on avoidable cases of five conditions that cause the most years of life lost in men which included suicide and self-harm.

The report summarised Australian data, including suicide data, showing that:

  • Men account for 75% of deaths by suicide in Australia.
  • Suicide is the third leading cause of premature death among men of all ages and the leading cause of death for men aged 15-44 years and is the second leading cause of death of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
  • Suicide accounted for the highest number of years of life lost at 80,958 years (AIHW, 2024).

Survey results highlighted some of the barriers and challenges in providing healthcare to men:

  • Over 50% of men believe it is normal for men to avoid regular health check-ups.
  • 67% of men report wanting to leave their healthcare practitioner due to a lack of personal connection.
  • 71% of men who live with a mental health condition feel gender stereotypes affected their health behaviours and experiences.
  • 26% of men report their healthcare practitioner never or rarely enquires about other things going on in their personal and social life that may be affecting their health.
  • 58% of men report they faced one of more barriers to effective engagement with healthcare providers.

Masculinity can also influence men feeling they need to deal and handle health conditions on their own, with the belief that men need to be stoic, and respect is lost when they show signs of vulnerability such as having a health condition or illness.

How we work to influence and change men’s health behaviours is complex. The report shares evidence of global initiatives and lists some key activities supporting men’s health. Movember states that public health outreach campaigns remain the most effective way to reach people at scale. They have the potential to achieve population-level behaviour change, through targeted education, awareness-raising and advocacy. Campaigns are most beneficial when co-designed with men. The way men seek healthcare, and the types of services they engage with that meet their expectations and level of care is different compared to women.

Collaborative approaches to healthcare treatment with men that focuses on appropriate communications and health literacy can support men in seeking and adhering to healthcare treatments. Similarly, communications must be culturally responsive and reflect the communication and identities of individuals. Investing in and building a healthcare workforce with these abilities is paramount to support men’s health outcomes.

Movember has called on policy changes to improve men’s health outcomes:

  • Drive demand in men’s health service usage through support and education.
  • Respond to demand with a gender responsive healthcare system and workforce.
  • Undertake research to understand how men engage with their health and the system at large.

Read the full report here.

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