Men's health

For the men's lifestyle magazine, see Men's Health.

Men's health refers to a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, as experienced by men, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.[1] These often relate to structures such as male genitalia or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in, males. Some conditions that affect both men and women, such as cancer, and injury, also manifest differently in men.[2] Men's health issues also include medical situations in which men face problems not directly related to their biology, such as gender-differentiated access to medical treatment and other socioeconomic factors.[3][4][5] Some diseases that affect both genders are statistically more common in men. Outside of Sub-Saharan Africa, men are at greater risk of HIV/AIDS – a phenomenon associated with unsafe sexual activity that is often unconsensual.[6][7]

Organizations

In the UK, the Men's Health Forum was founded in 1994. It was established originally by the Royal College of Nursing but became completely independent of the RCN when it was established as a charity in 2001. The first National Men’s Health Week was held in the USA in 1994. The first UK week took place in 2002, and the event went international the following year. In 2005, the world’s first professor of men’s health, Alan White, was appointed at Leeds Metropolitan University in north-east England.

In Australia, the Men's Health Information and Resource Centre advocates a salutogenic approach to male health which focuses on the causal factors behind health. The Centre is led by John Macdonald and was established in 1999. The Centre leads and executes Men's Health Week in Australia with core funding from the NSW Ministry of Health.

In 2000, the Toronto Men's Health Network was founded by Joe Jacobs, who helped bring attention to the importance of men's health in Canada's largest city. The organization has held Men's Health Forums annually, including 2005 where the guest speaker, Canadian Senator Wilbert Keon, spoke of the importance of men's cardiovascular health. The organization has since been chaired by Ted Kaiser, Elaine Sequeira, Don McCreary and Donald Blair. Presently, the organization is being led by James Hodgins. It remains the oldest and most recognized Men's Health advocacy organization in Canada, with other organizations starting to appear in British Columbia and the Maritime provinces.

In the United States, men's health issues are raised by, among others, Men's Health Network (MHN). Established, in 1992, MHN is a non-profit educational organization comprising physicians, researchers, public health workers, other health professionals, and individuals. Through a network of chapters affiliates, and health partners, MHN has a presence in every state and over 30 countries. MHN is committed to improving the health and wellness of men, boys, and their families through education campaigns, data collection, surveys, toll-free hotlines, and work with health care providers. MHN conducts screenings in the workplace and at public venues, sponsors conferences and symposia, and promotes awareness periods such as Men's Health Month and Men’s Health Week.

See also

References

  1. ↑ WHO Definition of Health. http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19–22 June 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
  2. ↑ Almost Every Type of Cancer Kills More Men Than Women, Study Shows http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/13/almost-every-type-of-cancer-kills-more-men-than-women-study-shows Time, 13 July 2011
  3. ↑ David R. Williams, PhD, MPH (2003). "The Health of Men: Structured Inequalities and Opportunities". http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447828
  4. ↑ "Men’s Health and Primary Care: Improving Access and Outcomes". http://www.ecoo.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/mens-health-and-primary-care-emhf-roundtable-report.2013.medium-res.pdf
  5. ↑ "The State of Men’s Health in Europe". http://ec.europa.eu/health/population_groups/docs/men_health_report_en.pdf ISBN 978-92-79-20167-7 doi:10.2772/60721
  6. ↑ "Gender Statistics Manual". United Nations Statistics Division. May 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Is the US the only country where more men are raped than women?". The Guardian. February 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2015.

External links

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