Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is men’s health and why is it different?
A: Men’s health differs from women’s and children’s health for several biological and social reasons. There is a lack of access for many men to GP’s due to work hours, social expectation and poor self-care. Men are more likely to die from nearly all major medical conditions at an earlier age and in greater numbers than women. Men, like women, often place greater value of working to provide for their families then caring for their own health. They less likely to ask for help when feeling stressed, angry.Q: Why do men get sicker?
A: Men do not attend their GP as regularly as women. Young men those aged 25 -34 simply do not attend a GP at all. Men do not have the same social connections as women often relying on work colleagues for psychological support. Men also wait longer to see a doctor for medical problems meaning they are worse at initial consultation.Q: What do men die from?
A: Top 10 causes of premature death in men:- Ischaemic heart disease
- Trachea and lung cancer
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Cerebrovascular diseases
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases
- Prostate cancer
- Colon and rectum cancer
- Diabetes
- Blood and lymph cancer, including leukaemia
Men outnumber women in preventable causes of death:
- Suicide – 75 per cent of deaths are male
- Trachea and lung cancers – 60 per cent of deaths are male
- Blood and lymph cancers (including leukaemia) – 58 per cent of deaths are male
- Ischaemic heart disease – 57 per cent of deaths are male
- Colon and rectum cancers – 55 per cent of deaths are male.
Men & Mental Health
Men are much more likely to experience mental health issues and not have them addressed or acknowledged. Many men my not like to appear weak, ask for help or know where to ask for help. By recognising that mental illness is no different to other health issues, men can gain the assistance they need to recover from such conditions.
Australian Mental Illness Statistics
- 1 in 2 men have had a mental health problem at some point in their lives
- 1 in 8 men will experience depression at some stage in their lives
- 1 in 5 men will experience anxiety at some stage in their lives
- On average, 6 men each day will take their life through suicide
- 75% of suicides in Australia are by men
- Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 54
If you are worried by your or a friend’s mental health please contact a GP or, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.