MHW 2002: Press releases

National Men's Health Week Press Releases

These have been posted early as a service to both events organisers and journalists. Please respect the 10 June 2002 embargo.

Press Release 1: MEN'S HEALTH HAS NOT IMPROVED SINCE 1970s

Press Release 2: GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES MUST TAKE URGENT ACTION ON MEN'S HEALTH

Statistical background

Embargo: Monday 10th June, 00.01am

Media contact: NMHW press office: 020 7462 8960 or NMHWpressoffice@quintaessentia.co.uk

MEN'S HEALTH HAS NOT IMPROVED SINCE 1970s,

SAYS MEN'S HEALTH FORUM AT LAUNCH OF NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK

Men's health is still a contradiction in terms. Statistics published by the Men's Health Forum at the beginning of the first-ever National Men's Health Week (10-16th June) show that the state of men's health is poor - in fact, in many ways, there has been no improvement or a worsening in men's health over the last 30 years.

National Men's Health Week, organised by Men's Health Forum, is the biggest ever campaign in the UK to highlight the poor state of men's health and to encourage health services and men themselves to take action. The week will be officially launched on Monday 10th June at a Westminster Reception supported by Hazel Blears MP and Dr Howard Stoate MP. Steve Davis, former world snooker champion will also attend the event.

Speaking at the start of National Men's Health Week, the Men's Health Forum's President Dr Ian Banks said: 'Men's health statistics continue to be a shocking indictment of the way health policies and services have sidelined men. Too many men, especially in the lower income groups, are dying too young and suffering from unnecessarily poor health. It is now time to stop talking about these problems and time to take action to solve them. The Men's Health Forum has organised National Men's Health Week to encourage action at all levels - from a partnership which includes the Government, the NHS, other health organisations and, of course, men themselves.'

The Men's Health Forum's analysis of official statistics shows:

• Death rates for men aged 16-34 are virtually the same as in 1971.

• Suicide rates for men aged 15-24 have more than doubled since 1971.
• The incidence of prostate cancer has increased by over 135 per cent since 1971.
• The number of men with testicular cancer has more than doubled since 1971.
• The number of men aged 25-64 dying from chronic liver disease has increased five times since 1970. (Alcohol misuse is the main cause of chronic liver disease.)
• The proportion of men who are obese has more than tripled since 1980
• Men in social class five (unskilled manual) still have a life expectancy at birth that is below average male life expectancy in the early 1970s.

The Men's Health Forum is calling on health policymakers and services at all levels to do more to address these problems. The Forum considers that the Department of Health should introduce a national men's health policy and ensure that all health policies take into account men's particular needs. Primary care trusts must pay much more attention to men's health, particularly by making local services more easily accessible by men. Health promotion campaigns must also target men specifically in order to tackle problems like obesity, alcohol misuse and poor sexual health.

The Forum's proposals for tackling these problems are published in a report, Getting It Sorted, published on 10th June. This report contains 46 recommendations for improving men's health.

Public health minister Hazel Blears MP said: 'One of the biggest health inequalities that exists is between men and women. A man is likely to die on average five years earlier than a woman - the gap is even wider for men from low-income backgrounds. The government has made clear its determination to improve health across the board and tackle such inequalities. We need to ensure that men have suitable health information and easy access to healthcare services and support when problems arise. The first National Men's Health Week is a welcome new initiative in achieving this aim and the Department of Health looks forward to continuing its close co-operation with leading organisations like the Men's Health Forum.'

Also speaking in support of the week, Dr Howard Stoate MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Men's Health, said: 'The All Party Group on Men's Health fully supports National Men's Health Week. It is an important new initiative that, I hope, will help to raise awareness of men's health and ensure it is now taken much more seriously. We will do our best to make sure that the Week is a great success.'

National Men's Health Week is also supported by former world snooker champion Steve Davis, who said: "We all know that when it comes to health issues women generally have much more common sense than men and do not stick their head in the sand. Anything that gets men to realise that they should see their doctor sooner rather than later has got to be good news. Testicular cancer is just one area, but I do check my balls on a regular basis!"

The Forum is also re-launching the UK's only comprehensive and dedicated consumer health website for men, www.malehealth.co.uk, on 10th June. This website, recently acquired by the Forum, aims to provide men of all ages and backgrounds with the information they need to achieve optimal health and to deal with health problems.

During National Men's Health Week, the Forum is encouraging national and local health providers and others to organise health initiatives for men. Over 300 local events will be take place throughout the country (please call press office for details of events in specific regions). National initiatives include publication of a men's health booklet by Tesco which is available free of charge from Tesco Pharmacies nationwide, a men and cancer leaflet by the World Cancer Research Fund and a man's guide to the NHS produced by the Consumer Health Information Centre. There will also be the launch of high blood pressure initiative by the Doctor Patient Partnership. A fun and health day for men, 'Big Boy's Toys', is also taking place at Dunchurch Park near Rugby. Further details of events taking place during the Week can be found in the press pack.

National Men's Health Week is sponsored by several key organisations with an interest in improving men's health. It is also supported by a wide range of other organisations. Full details of the sponsors and supporters can be found in the notes below.

Notes to editors

1. The Men's Health Forum is a charity that aims to improve men's health in England and Wales.

2. National Men's Health Week has been organised by the Men's Health Forum in England and Wales. Men's Health Forum Scotland is organising a parallel Week - for further details, contact: Tim Street, National Co-ordinator, Men's Health Forum Scotland, tel: 0141 201 4889.

3. Men's Health Weeks are also being held in Australia and the USA in the same week as in the UK.

4. National Men's Health Week will be launched at 1.45pm on Monday 10th June at the Attlee Room, Portcullis House, Westminster. Speakers will include Hazel Blears MP, Dr Howard Stoate MP, Dr Ian Banks and Steve Davis. For an invitation, please contact National Men's Health Week press office, c/o Quinta Essentia, 020 7462 8960 or NMHWpressoffice@quintaessentia.co.uk.

5. Members of the press can obtain a copy of the Men's Health Forum's policy document, Getting It Sorted, from National Men's Health Week press office, c/o Quinta Essentia, 020 7462 8960 or NMHWpressoffice@quintaessentia.co.uk.

6. More detailed men's health statistics are provided in the press pack.

7. National Men's Health Week is sponsored by: British Prostate Group, GUS Charitable Trust, Health Development Agency, Lilly, National Obesity Forum, Pfizer, World Cancer Research Fund and Yamanouchi Pharma.

8. The Week is supported by: The Army, British Medical Association (BMA), Community Health UK, Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC), Doctor Patient Partnership, European Men's Health Forum, Fathers Direct, Impotence Association, Orchid Cancer Appeal, Patients Association, Practice Nurses Association, Prostate Cancer Charity and Queen's Nursing Institute.

The Men's Health Forum's registered office is at: Tavistock House, Tavistock Square, London WC1 9HR. A registered charity (No 1087375). A company limited by guarantee (No 4142349 - England).

Embargo: Monday 10th June, 00.01am

Media contact: NMHW press office: 020 7462 8960 or NMHWpressoffice@quintaessentia.co.uk

GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH SERVICES MUST TAKE URGENT ACTION ON MEN'S HEALTH, SAYS MEN'S HEALTH FORUM IN NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK

Forty-six recommendations are contained within a report published today on how to improve the poor state of men's health. Written by the Men's Health Forum, the report calls upon the Department of Health to establish a national men's health policy and for every health policy produced by the Department of Health to take men's health into account. The Department of Health has to date largely ignored men in its policies and plans. This has meant that there has been little interest shown in the development of men's health policy and practice at the local level. Primary care has generally done little to tackle men's health problems.

The report, Getting It Sorted: A New Policy for Men's Health, is launched today at the start of the first

National Men's Health Week (June 10-16th) at a Westminster Reception attended by public health minister Hazel Blears MP and Dr Howard Stoate MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Men's Health. The Men's Health Forum has organised the Week to highlight men's health problems -and to encourage health services and men themselves to do something about them.

Launching the report, the President of the Men's Health Forum Dr Ian Banks said: 'In many ways, health policies and services in this country really are a 'no man's land'. It is not surprising, therefore, that the health of so many men is still so bad. Getting It Sorted is the first-ever national policy statement on men's health, produced by the Men's Health Forum to stimulate debate and discussion about how to make the improvements to men's health that are now so urgently needed. The potential benefits of a new approach to men's health are huge: men could lead healthier and happier lives and we can end what has been one of the biggest, but until recently one of the least-recognised, health inequalities.'

Getting It Sorted points out that average male life expectancy at birth is still just 75 years and among men in lower income groups it is over six years lower. In many respects -including suicide rates for young men, the incidence of prostate and testicular cancers, death rates from chronic liver disease and obesity levels ñ men's health has actually deteriorated over the past 30 years.

The report explains that men are generally reluctant users of primary care services, making little use of preventative services and often presenting late in the course of an illness. Men's knowledge of sexual health services is also low.

Getting It Sorted argues that the potential for improving men's health is clear -men are not doomed by genetics to an early death. The Men's Health Forum believes there now exists an historic opportunity to take a decisive leap forward in improving men's health providing appropriate policy and practice frameworks are put in place.

The report's recommendations include:

• The Department of Health should establish a national men's health policy and every health policy produced by the Department of Health must cover men's health as a specific issue (unless there are clear and obvious reasons for not doing so).

• Health Improvement and Modernisation Programmes must be required to address men's health issues.
• Primary care services should have longer opening hours and attempt to create a more male-friendly environment (e.g. by displaying male-interest magazines and men's health posters and leaflets).
• Men's access to appropriate confidential and anonymous sources of health information, including telephone helplines and the Internet, should be increased.
• More primary care services should be provided outside of the traditional primary care setting, including community-based outreach clinics.
• There is a need for a diverse range of sexual health services for men, including primary and direct-access secondary care, family planning clinics, telephone helplines and websites.
• Men must not be treated as a homogenous group: black and minority ethnic men, young men, gay men, older men and other specific groups require different interventions.
• The restrictions on GP prescribing of NHS treatments for erectile dysfunction must be lifted.
• There is an urgent need for more health promotion initiatives that are specifically targeted at men rather than based on the traditional population-wide approach.
• There must be greater investment in clinical research into specific under-researched areas of male health (including prostate disease). Research into effective health promotion work with men must also be developed.
• Parenting and childcare information must address bringing up boys to encourage them to become more aware of their mental and physical health.

School-based initiatives that encourage boys to take a greater interest in health and health-related issues should be introduced. There must also be a significant improvement in the delivery of sex education for boys in schools.

The Men's Health Forum will be consulting widely on the report and a final version will be published in early 2003.

Notes to editors

1. The Men's Health Forum is a charity that aims to improve men's health in England and Wales.

2. National Men's Health Week has been organised by the Men's Health Forum in England and Wales. Men's Health Forum Scotland is organising a parallel Week - for further details, contact: Tim Street, National Co-ordinator, Men's Health Forum Scotland, tel: 0141 201 4889.

3. Men's Health Weeks are also being held in Australia and the USA in the same week as in the UK.

4. National Men's Health Week will be launched at 1.45pm on Monday 10th June at the Attlee Room, Portcullis House, Westminster. Speakers will include Hazel Blears MP, Dr Howard Stoate MP, Dr Ian Banks and Steve Davis. For an invitation, please contact National Men's Health Week press office, c/o Quinta Essentia, 020 7462 8960 or NMHWpressoffice@quintaessentia.co.uk.

5. Members of the press can obtain a copy of the Men's Health Forum's policy document, Getting It Sorted, from National Men's Health Week press office, c/o Quinta Essentia, 020 7462 8960 or NMHWpressoffice@quintaessentia.co.uk.

6. More detailed men's health statistics are provided in the press pack.

7. National Men's Health Week is sponsored by: British Prostate Group, GUS Charitable Trust, Health Development Agency, Lilly, National Obesity Forum, Pfizer, World Cancer Research Fund and Yamanouchi Pharma.

8. The Week is supported by: The Army, British Medical Association (BMA), Community Health UK, Consumer Health Information Centre (CHIC), Doctor Patient Partnership, European Men's Health Forum, Fathers Direct, Impotence Association, Orchid Cancer Appeal, Patients Association, Practice Nurses Association, Prostate Cancer Charity and Queen's Nursing Institute.

The Men's Health Forum's registered office is at: Tavistock House, Tavistock Square, London WC1 9HR. A registered charity (No 1087375). A company limited by guarantee (No 4142349 - England).

STATISTICS BACKGROUNDER

Average male life expectancy at birth is now 75 years.

Men in social class 5 still have a life expectancy at birth that is below average male life expectancy in the early 1970s. The average life expectancy of a man in social class 5 (unskilled manual) is currently 68.2 years; average life expectancy for all men in 1972-76 was 69.2 years.

Men living in some disadvantaged communities continue to have a life expectancy similar to the national average male life expectancy for the late 1970s. The life expectancy at birth of all men in Manchester is currently 70.5 years; average life expectancy for all men in 1977-81 was 70.0 years.

Death rates for men aged 16-34 are virtually the same as in 1971. The death rate for men aged 16-24 and 25-34 was 100 per 100,000 population in 1971; in 1999, the death rates were 80 per 100,000 for men aged 16-24 and 100 for men aged 25-34.

Suicide rates for men aged 15-24 have more than doubled since 1971. There were 16 suicides per 100,000 population aged 15-24 in 1999 compared to 'only' seven per 100,000 in 1971. The majority of suicides now occur in young adult males and suicide is the most common cause of death in men aged under 35.

The incidence of prostate cancer has increased by over 135 per cent since 1971. 30 men per 100,000 were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1971; by 1997, 71 men per 100,000 were diagnosed. 18,300 men are now diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and 8,500 die.

The number of men with testicular cancer more than doubled between 1971 and 1997. There are now over 1,440 new cases diagnosed each year, although 'only' 70 deaths.

The number of men aged 25-64 dying from chronic liver disease has increased five-fold in the period 1970-2000. Alcohol misuse is the biggest single cause of chronic liver disease. 27 per cent of men now drink more than the recommended limits. 36 per cent of those aged 16-24 drink excessively.

The proportion of men who are obese has more than tripled since 1980; the proportion of men who are overweight has increased by one-third. 45 per cent of men are now overweight and another 17 per cent are obese

References

UK data. 'Life expectancy at birth by health and local authorities in the United Kingdom, 1998-2000 (3-year aggregate figures)', Health Statistics Quarterly 13 (Spring 2002), pp. 83-90..

England and Wales data. J. Matheson and C. Summerfield (eds), Social Focus on Men (The Stationery Office; London, 2001).

'Life expectancy at birth by health and local authorities in the United Kingdom, 1998-2000 (3-year aggregate figures)', op. cit.

J. Matheson and C. Summerfield (eds), op. cit.

UK data. J. Matheson and C. Summerfield (eds), op. cit.

UK data. J. Matheson and C. Summerfield (eds), op. cit.

England data. Department of Health, National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England: Consultation Document (Department of Health; London, 2002).

England and Wales data. Department of Health, HYPERLINK "http://www.doh.gov.uk" www.doh.gov.uk; National Statistics, StatBase, www.statistics.gov.uk.

England and Wales data. D.A.Power, et al., 'Trends in testicular carcinoma in England and Wales, 1971-99', BJU International 2001 Mar;87(4):361-5.

England and Wales data. National Statistics, StatBase, www.statistics.gov.uk.

England data. Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health, On the State of the Public Health 2001 (London; Department of Health, 2001).

Great Britain data. Office for National Statistics, Social Trends 30 (The Stationery Office, London; 2000).

England data. The Nutrition and Physical Activity Task Forces, Obesity: Reversing the Increasing Problem of Obesity in England (Department of Health; London, 1995); J. Matheson and C. Summerfield (eds), op. cit.