Men's Health Week made simple...

As Men's Health Week 2006 approaches, the Week's coordinator Matthew Maycock introduces all the many and varied activities planned this year and does it in just a page. The ideal summary or - if you've only just heard about the Week - the perfect introduction.

The theme for National Men's Health Week this year is men and mental wellbeing, a key area of government concern and activity, reflected in its prominence in the 2004 public health White Paper, Choosing Health. The leader of the opposition David Cameron has recently taken up the same theme.

The Paper suggests that at any one time one adult in six has a mental health problem and up to one in four GP consultations concerns mental health. Work-related stress affects about one in five workers and stress-related conditions are now the most common reported cause of absenteeism. Improving access to services, creating healthy workplaces and improving mental and emotional well-being are part of the government's strategy to tackle mental health problems.

The subject is critical for the MHF because the many men who already find it difficult to discusss their physical health may find it particularly hard to talk about their feelings. Men are widely acknowledged to be reluctant to seek or receive professional help for mental health problems from either medical and psychological services. The probloem is compounded when these services show a limited understanding of how to work with men effectively on mental health issues.

Some examples of mental health issues particular to men include:

• Suicide is the most common cause of death in young men under 35.
• Overall, 75 per cent of suicides in the UK are by men
• Young African and Caribbean men (especially second generation) are much more likely to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia,are more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and less likely to be offered psychological treatments
• Studies suggest that depression occurs as often in men as in women yet doctors are less likely to diagnose men with depression than women
• One unemployed man in seven will develop depression within six months of losing his job.
• Men make up 96 per cent of the UK prison population — an environment in which mental health problems are particularly prevalent
• Men often misuse addictive drugs, especially alcohol, in an attempt to deal with emotional health problems.
• Boys are five times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
• NMHW will seek to raise awareness about these and other issues aiming to demonstrate how men's emotional literacy, wellbeing and resilience can be enhanced and increased.

The benefits to individual men of improved mental wellbeing will include:

• Simply feeling better
• Improved relationships.
• Higher levels of achievement at work.
• Coping better with stress.
• Increased protection against mental illness. 
• Better physical health.
• A better sex life.
• Earlier help-seeking

The Week will address all aspects of mental health, from suicide through to stress and anxiety. Local organisations are running events on mental health issues — fuller details here - and the Forum will produce a policy report highlighting the key issues at a national level. There are some 40 partners involved. Other highlights will include:

• The Haynes Brain manual
• Mini-Brain manuals
• Conference: Mind Your Head

It's still not too late to register. Click here to sign your organisation up. It's free.