MEN’S HEALTH
When we talk about health inequalities, there is a clear health gap between men and women. And the stats, as they say, don’t lie. Let’s look at some of the areas that are driving these statistics.
· In the UK, one man in five (19%) dies before he reaches 65 (and 40% of men die before the age of 75).
· Men are 37% more likely to die from cancer overall – and 67% more likely to die than women from the cancers that men and women share (excluding sex-specific cancers and breast cancer).
· Coronary Heart Disease, one of the UK’s biggest killers, accounts for 1 in 7 of every male deaths in the UK.
· Men are 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women.
· Over three quarters of all suicides are male. The peak age group for death from suicide is 45-49.
· In the 2016 GP Patient Survey, 30% of men wouldn't take time off work for blood in their urine, 40% wouldn't for an unexpected lump and 42% wouldn't for chest pain. For "feeling low or down", 85% wouldn't take time off work and for anxiety, 81%.
Men’s reluctance to consult their doctor and talk about their problems is a perennial issue. Men are less likely to visit their doctor, to acknowledge illness and to seek help, compared to women. The more we believe all that ‘strong and silent’ ‘boys don’t cry’ stuff, the poorer our health outcomes will be. With earlier detection and proactive prevention, so many of these deaths can be avoided. The key message is not to remain silent. Whatever the issue, your GP has heard it all before. Let’s normalising talking about health concerns and asking for help.
The beatstress.uk service offers online support for men of all ages. It is free, confidential, anonymous and staffed by experienced professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
People who do regular physical activity have a 35% lower risk of heart disease and stroke and a 50% lower risk of diabetes and of bowel cancer. Exercise boosts feel-good chemicals that raise self-esteem and helps sleep and concentration. Regular exercisers have a 30% lower risk of depression and of dementia. Walking reduces the risk of heart disease by a third. The further and faster you walk the better but even walking just 5-6 miles a week at a very slow pace (2 miles per hour) will help reduce risk. Little and often is fine. Get a pedometer to count your steps. If you want a target, aim for 10,000 steps a day.
Mind - www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
The Samaritans - www.samaritans.org
Movember - uk.movember.com
Prostate Cancer UK - prostatecanceruk.org
Mankind - www.mankind.org.uk
