The need for a strategy on men's health

Abstract

Now that the UK Government has announced a women's health strategy, it is time for a national strategy on men's health too. This must recognise it as a whole life‐course issue impacting on every stage of men and boys’ lives, and include action on the social determinants that lead to such excessive inequalities between different men.

Missing persons? Men's use of primary care services

“…Men's health advocates in the UK are hopeful that a men's health strategy, which would complement the existing women's health strategy for England and the women's health plan for Scotland, will, if it was to be implemented, help to generate action to improve men's access to primary care 15 . The recent announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care of the establishment of a 'Men's health task and finish group', which will look at male access to primary care and uptake of NHS Health Checks, 16 is a very welcome first step.…”

Men’s Health in Northern Ireland: Why do we need a men’s health policy?

“…A men's health strategy could begin to address these inequalities through targeted provisions that focus on pertinent health issues such as suicide among specific male social groups. In the wider UK context, this is reiterated by White and Tod (2022) who call for a national men's health strategy that considers health across the life course and through a social determinants perspective.…”

“…These arguments are relevant to male health policies too, and it is important to stress that male health and female health policies should operate collaboratively in tandem, but not in conflict. With this in mind, White and Tod (2022) argued that in the wake of the UK Government announcing the Women’s Health Strategy, a national men’s health strategy is also required which utilises a social determinants perspective across the life course.…”

The digital future of men's health

“…In 2018, the WHO ratified a Men's Health Report and Strategy for Europe, with the support of all 53 member states 1 . Many institutions, including the Royal Society for Public Health, Men's Health Forum and Global Action on Men's Health, call for higher level governmental support, through a Men's Health Strategy for England 2 …”

“…1 Many institutions, including the Royal Society for Public Health, Men's Health Forum and Global Action on Men's Health, call for higher level governmental support, through a Men's Health Strategy for England. 2 Men are both at greater risk of health conditions and less likely to access the health care they require. 3 In comparison with women, men are twice as likely to die from preventable and treatable non-communicable diseases and road traffic accidents.…”