A broad range of health related behaviors influences the health of men.
Surveys showed that men were more likely than their female counterparts to smoke (22.0% vs. 3.5%), but were less likely to have a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables and low in fats. About 35% of men reported not doing exercise and 38% were considered as overweight or obese.
Alcohol is a health issue for a significant number of men. A local survey found that 8.3% of respondents reported drinking 4 days or more per week. Of those who said they drank, 16% had episodes of binge drinking in the past month preceding the survey.
Illicit drug use and pathological gambling tended to be a male phenomenon, with men outnumbering women at a ratio of 5:1 and 15:1 respectively.
Men’s high-risk sexual behaviors expose them to various sexually transmitted diseases. 6.3% and 4.9% of men reported that they had never and occasionally used condoms when having sex with commercial sex workers.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Men’s Health Related Behaviors
Men Health by Age
The issues that affect men’s health vary throughout life. At different times in their lives, from childhood to old age, men have differing health experiences and health needs.
Boys (aged 0-14 years)
Boys first encounter many of the health determinants that affect men’s health in childhood, and the effects last a life-time. This includes the perceived notions of “maleness” or “boys don’t cry” mentality that prevent them from talking about feelings, admitting of feeling sick and asking for help when they grow up; or being encouraged by parents, peers and other influences to be more adventurous and risk-taking in terms of play.
Adolescents and Young men (aged 15 to 24 years)
Adolescence is the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood. It symbolizes the loss of childhood, learning to become an accountable man as society expects. It is a key time for shaping and consolidating health related values, attitudes, and lifestyles, and for making decisions about various behaviors which have important consequences for future health. During adolescence, young men are socialized to conceal their vulnerability and tend to consider themselves untouchable to health concerns, except a few coughs and colds, or acne on faces. The period is also characterized by experimentation, such as smoking, drug use or sexual relationship under peer influences. In addition, their self-perceived invulnerability, inexperience in life events, lack of training in fact put them at higher risk of injuries or occupational mishaps.
Adult men (aged 25 to 64 years)
It is a time of many life events, like marriage, fatherhood, separation or divorce that require considerable adaptation. For adult men, a major influence on health is the workplace because they spend longer periods in the workforce. They experience pressure due to job insecurity, long working hours, work competition, and rapidly changing working environment. Increasing changes towards self-employment and contractual work have meant that employer-provided health services, which may be the main health contact for many healthy men at working age, are no longer available to them. Unemployment can also be considered a health influence for men in this age group, although the effects of unemployment are unlikely to affect all men uniformly. Those having a good social support network would cope better. When men are approaching middle life, the focus may move from work related stresses to retirement. Leaving the workforce shrinks their social network; a significant number of men at retiring age experience psychological and social difficulties when they face social role transition from one of breadwinner to homemaker. In terms of physical health, they begin to notice impacts of previous unhealthy lifestyle and behaviors, when there is gradual increase in minor symptoms.
Older men (aged 65 years and over)
Difficulties adjusting to the new roles associated with aging can significantly exert impact on older men’s health. Old age is seen as being a period of multiple losses: employment, financial independence, and physical fitness. Many men in this age range are concerned about deteriorating health, limitations to their quality of life, chronic illness and disability that they become dependent on their families.
Boys (aged 0-14 years)
Boys first encounter many of the health determinants that affect men’s health in childhood, and the effects last a life-time. This includes the perceived notions of “maleness” or “boys don’t cry” mentality that prevent them from talking about feelings, admitting of feeling sick and asking for help when they grow up; or being encouraged by parents, peers and other influences to be more adventurous and risk-taking in terms of play.
Adolescents and Young men (aged 15 to 24 years)
Adolescence is the transitional phase between childhood and adulthood. It symbolizes the loss of childhood, learning to become an accountable man as society expects. It is a key time for shaping and consolidating health related values, attitudes, and lifestyles, and for making decisions about various behaviors which have important consequences for future health. During adolescence, young men are socialized to conceal their vulnerability and tend to consider themselves untouchable to health concerns, except a few coughs and colds, or acne on faces. The period is also characterized by experimentation, such as smoking, drug use or sexual relationship under peer influences. In addition, their self-perceived invulnerability, inexperience in life events, lack of training in fact put them at higher risk of injuries or occupational mishaps.
Adult men (aged 25 to 64 years)
It is a time of many life events, like marriage, fatherhood, separation or divorce that require considerable adaptation. For adult men, a major influence on health is the workplace because they spend longer periods in the workforce. They experience pressure due to job insecurity, long working hours, work competition, and rapidly changing working environment. Increasing changes towards self-employment and contractual work have meant that employer-provided health services, which may be the main health contact for many healthy men at working age, are no longer available to them. Unemployment can also be considered a health influence for men in this age group, although the effects of unemployment are unlikely to affect all men uniformly. Those having a good social support network would cope better. When men are approaching middle life, the focus may move from work related stresses to retirement. Leaving the workforce shrinks their social network; a significant number of men at retiring age experience psychological and social difficulties when they face social role transition from one of breadwinner to homemaker. In terms of physical health, they begin to notice impacts of previous unhealthy lifestyle and behaviors, when there is gradual increase in minor symptoms.
Older men (aged 65 years and over)
Difficulties adjusting to the new roles associated with aging can significantly exert impact on older men’s health. Old age is seen as being a period of multiple losses: employment, financial independence, and physical fitness. Many men in this age range are concerned about deteriorating health, limitations to their quality of life, chronic illness and disability that they become dependent on their families.
Men Health
There is no agreed definition of what constitutes men’s health, but there is certainly more to men’s health than prostate and testicles. Fletcher defined men’s health as “conditions or diseases that are unique to men, more prevalent in men, more serious among men, for which risk factors are different for men and for which different interventions are required for men”.
Men’s health issues can be described as anything that affects the health or quality of life of men, and the issues vary throughout life. Boys first encounter many of the health determinants that affect men’s health in childhood. During adolescence, they are socialized to conceal their vulnerability and take risks as a way to establish masculine adequacy. For adult men, changing life events- likes marriage, fatherhood, relationship breakdowns or work-related problems- require considerable adaptation that can have profound impact on their health. When approaching old age, the focus moves to loss of financial independence and physical fitness.
Men’s health issues can be described as anything that affects the health or quality of life of men, and the issues vary throughout life. Boys first encounter many of the health determinants that affect men’s health in childhood. During adolescence, they are socialized to conceal their vulnerability and take risks as a way to establish masculine adequacy. For adult men, changing life events- likes marriage, fatherhood, relationship breakdowns or work-related problems- require considerable adaptation that can have profound impact on their health. When approaching old age, the focus moves to loss of financial independence and physical fitness.
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