International Men’s Health Week is a global initiative intended to raise awareness of health issues that affect men, created to lead up to Father’s Day. This commemorative week encourages men and boys to take care of their health, and it encourages institutions to develop health policies and services that meet the needs of men and boys.
In 2002 Men’s Health Week became international when representatives from six leading men’s health organizations around the world met at the 2nd World Congress on Men’s Health in Vienna and resolved to work together to increase awareness of male health issues on a global level and to encourage health policies and services that meet the needs of men, boys, and their families.
The History
From gamh.org (Global Action on Men’s Health) we read the following: “Men’s Health Week is 30 years old this year! It began in the U.S. in 1994 following a Senate Joint Resolution to establish the Week by Senator Bob Dole. The Week was linked to Father’s Day in the U.S. (the Week always ends on that Day, the third Sunday in June) and it became an international event in 2002 when it was first marked in the UK. It has since been adopted in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and beyond. The Week provides an opportunity for a wide range of organizations and individuals to draw attention to the poor state of men’s health, organize activities that engage men, and advocate changes to health policy and practice. In short, it puts men’s health on the map both nationally and globally.”
Major Health Issues for Men
We went to the Mayo Clinic website to find out about the major issues that affect men and boys. Unsurprisingly, heart disease and cancer top the list. Other health issues include injury, stroke, diabetes and lung disease. The website encourages healthy lifestyle choices such as a healthy diet and exercise.
The article states: “To protect your health, avoid risky actions, such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol and having casual sex. And take steps to keep yourself safe. Use a seat belt when in a car. Wear a helmet when on a bike or motorcycle. Use a safety ladder to reach high areas. Manage illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Practice safer sex. Get all the suggested health screenings and vaccinations for your age.”
The Mayo Clinic also reminds men that extra weight in the form of belly fat can be an issue as men age. And they mention other topics such as male menopause – it is a myth or real? Testosterone levels do start going down after age 40 and it could have a negative effect on health. They offer answers to the testosterone question and other basic men’s health questions at this [LINK].
The International View
The different themes of various countries are listed at GAMH. Ireland asks men to picture their health, and ask themselves to create a goal, and go for it. Great Britain looks at the impact of the internet on men’s health. Quoting from the website: “The iPhone was born in 2007. Those born in the same year will turn 16 this year. They’ve grown up with a high-performance computer in their pocket. What are the implications for men’s health? That’s the question the Forum was looking at with a focus on ‘internet-fueled’ addictions including pornography and gambling.”
Australia focused on healthy habits, and asked men and boys to build healthy habits by identifying small changes they can make that benefit their health and wellbeing. They created a toolkit called Know Your Man Facts. In Canada, the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation extended the Week into Men’s Health Month, where they emphasized the benefits of physical activity. One of their suggestions was to intentionally choose a parking space that requires a nice long walk to the destination. Finally, in Germany the focus was on social isolation in older men.
Leading up to Father’s Day
We encourage the men we care for to think about it this week, leading up to Father’s Day – our sons, fathers, brothers, husbands, partners, friends, co-workers – please think about your health and make the changes you know you need to make. The international guidance is to… 1) create a goal, 2) examine your Internet use to make sure it’s healthy, 3) develop healthy habits, 4) engage in physical activity and 5) please make sure your elders are not socially isolated.
At AMS we encourage full use of our healthcare benefits for new health concerns, checkups and follow-ups and also use of our EAP (Employee Assistance Program) benefits for mental health and other types of counseling and assistance free of charge. Please take care of You.
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