Why do we need a Men’s Health Month 2024?

Although men have historically been over-represented in clinical trials and medical textbooks, there has been a necessary policy focus on women’s health in recent years to address these inequalities and improve health outcomes for women. However, men’s health issues are far from being resolved. Here are some compelling reasons why there’s a need for Men’s Health Month to shed light on these important issues:

Men are less likely to seek medical help

Men are less likely to seek medical help early or at all, according to research from across the globe. For some, this reluctance is linked to men’s reluctance to be seen as weak or waiting for an illness to become “sufficiently serious” before seeking help.

With statistics like these, it’s clear that workplaces (as well as other areas of society) have a responsibility to do all they can to help foster good mental health.

Men are experiencing a mental health crisis

Unsurprisingly, the increasing prevalence of mental illness among men is seen as a contemporary crisis. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. Despite the obvious need for intervention, men are less likely to seek mental health services than women, accounting for only 36% of referrals to NHS talking therapies. What’s more, given that mental health services are overwhelmed, public campaigns and policy discussions encouraging men to talk about mental health are insufficient.

Men are not a homogenous group with shared outcomes

When discussing men’s health, it’s important to consider that there is no single male experience of health and wellbeing. Factors such as race, sexuality, and socio-economic status can create variations in experiences and outcomes. For instance, Black men in the UK have a significantly higher risk of developing prostate cancer, with 1 in 4 expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime compared to 1 in 8 for other men. This highlights the need to address inequalities in men’s health.