Ambassadors focus on men’s health

ALL Wollondilly residents need to be concerned about health and issues affecting men.

Some health problems disproportionately affect men, such as 70 per cent of all injuryrelated disease, 78 per cent of suicide and 73 per cent of road accidents.

Life expectancy for Australian men is 4.8 years less than women and men under age 75 are almost three times more likely to die from coronary heart disease, stroke and vascular disease than women, and men are also overrepresented in deaths related to 11W/AIDS, lung cancer, emphysema and liver disease.

It ’s because of these alarming statistics that the Federal Government appointed a group of men ’s health ambassadors to talk to men across the country to create a men ’s health policy.

John Macdonald, of the University of Western Sydney, is the foundation chairman in primary health care and co-director of the Men ’s Health Information and Resource Centre and president of the Australasian Men ’s Health Forum.

One of the main changes he wants involves making health services more male-friendly.

Another involves creating awareness and empathy for men in distress who may be on the brink of suicide. "If there ’s five men dying every day there ’s something wrong with society," he said. "The underlying problems for men in western Sydney are marginalisation, isolation and unemployment. "We all see a lot of separation from families and men often don ’t get to see their children and then comes substance abuse and then it continues on a downward spiral." Men ’s Sheds are a great way for men to get together and talk about their issues with other men, Professor Macdonald said.

The national men ’s health policy will address the specific health needs of communities of men who have the poorest health outcomes, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, and men living in rural and remote areas.

Details: mensheds.com.au.

Jessica Mahar
Wollondilly Advertiser,
Sydney,Australia