November is Men’s Health Awareness Month – a time to highlight the key issues that men face today. It’s also an opportunity to raise awareness about proactive steps, from regular screening to mental health support.

My article for Men’s Health Awareness Month last year reflected on some of the key health issues that men face today and highlighted the signs and symptoms to look out for in relation to the following conditions:

• Testicular Cancer – (the most common cancer in young men)
• Prostate Cancer – (the majority of new cases occurring in men aged 65-75)
• Breast Cancer
• Testicular Torsion
• Epididymitis (infection of the testicle).

Men’s health in 2024

This year, I want to focus on ongoing trends in men’s health, particularly as the full impact of COVID-19 begins to emerge in the statistics.

Men’s health charity Movember also released their Real Face of Men’s Health Report earlier this year.

Continuing trends: Physical health

Movember’s report shows that men remain much less likely to visit their GP when compared with women. Data shows that nearly two-thirds (64%) of patients wait more than a week with symptoms before visiting their doctor. 31% will wait for more than a month.

The report also highlights that almost two in five (39%) deaths were premature – that’s 133,000 men a year.

These preventable deaths are often due to causes which could have been avoided. The top five causes of premature mortality of males in England and Wales were as follows:

• Ischaemic heart diseases
• COVID-19
• Cancer of the trachea, bronchus and lung
• Accidents
• Intentional self-harm.

The incidence of these causes can be dramatically reduced through lifestyle behaviour change (reducing smoking and alcohol consumption and improving diet) and screening, as well as earlier diagnosis, treatment and intervention. (OECD, 2019).

Geographical disparities in men’s health outcomes

There is a pronounced geographical bias to these preventable deaths, which Movember allow you to track.

The report also reaffirms that men continue to remain less likely to seek help when needed, and even when they do, the healthcare system may not always effectively address their specific needs.

Exploring the gender gap in COVID-19 mortality

Movember state in their report that both men and women were affected differently by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data from the first year of the pandemic showed that whereas women were more likely to be infected by COVID-19, men were more likely to become seriously ill and die from the disease. Between March 2020 and January 2021 in England and Wales, 18% more men than women died of COVID-19. (source: ONS)

Research has indicated that this uneven distribution was due to a higher prevalence of underlying diagnosed and undiagnosed chronic disease and risk factors for the same in men. (Wittert & McLachlan, 2020; Griffith et al., 2021).

Continuing trends: Mental health

Although the stigma around mental health has significantly reduced over recent years, it does remain difficult to ignore, particularly as suicide remains the leading cause of death in young men.

Updated data from the Office of National Statistics shows:

• In England and Wales, suicide unfortunately remains the leading cause of death among men aged 20-34 years, accounting for one-quarter of all deaths registered in that age group.
• The suicide rate was three times higher for men than for women in 2022.
• In England, provisional data for 2023 show a 6% increase in suicides, predominantly amongst middle-aged men.
• As mentioned above, there are also significant regional differences – after accounting for age, the rate of male suicide in the North East was over double the rate in London.

Taking steps to improve your mental health

The value of seeking help if you need it cannot be emphasised strongly enough, whether talking to a family member, a friend, or even a colleague at work.

You do not have to have a mental health issue in order to want to improve your mental health. Simply by engaging in discussions and recognising that your mental health is something that exists and has value, you are taking steps to improve it, as you would through exercise when working on your physical health.

If you do not feel able to share your struggles with someone you know, there are also numerous charities that offer free support, some of which are set out below. One must also recognise the importance of making time for exercise, self-care and relaxation away from the pressures of everyday life.

Amy Rose, rehabilitation coordinator at Ashtons Legal, has recently written on this subject, and her article contains a helpful guide on how to manage stress.

Male mental health charities

There are many men’s health charities in addition to Movember which offer support to men of all ages in the UK:

• ManUp is a charity that aims to break the stigma around male mental health, changing people’s attitudes, opinions and minds.
• The Men’s Health Forum has many resources to support men’s health, such as a simple ‘MOT’ checklist of things we can do to top ourselves up physically and mentally.
• Andy’s Man Club runs talking groups for men. They have groups across the UK, and their goal is to ‘get men talking’ about anything and everything.
• ManHealth is a UK-based charity that provides access to peer support to men who are experiencing struggles in their lives.

Men’s Health Awareness Month continues to be an important time in both raising awareness and encouraging men to prioritise their well-being, addressing their health challenges head-on.

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