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Men’s health and wellbeing
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Men in Victoria enjoy a good level of health by international standards. They have the highest life expectancy of men in any Australian state, and one of the highest in the world. However, compared to women, they have a lower life expectancy, far higher rates of avoidable and premature mortality, and higher mortality from most common conditions, including coronary heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, suicide and injuries.
These outcomes are connected with important differences in the lifestyles of men and women, the way men understand and relate to their own health, and their patterns and preferences in engaging with health services.
The Victorian Health Priorities Framework 2012-22: Metropolitan Health Plan (May 2011) includes a commitment to review the men’s health strategy released in 2010 as a priority for the Department. This work is currently underway.
Resources
Men’s health background paper
The department released a background paper in May 2010 that provided the first comprehensive picture of the health and wellbeing of Victorian men. The background paper identified key health issues affecting Victorian men and set out a framework and principles for responding to these.
Men's health background paper - full
Men's health background paper - summary
Summary of consultation for development of men’s health policy
A stakeholder consultation and submission process, based on the background paper above, was undertaken in mid-2010. The summary, available below, describes the key findings identified through this process.
Victorian Men's health and wellbeing strategy - Summary of consultation
Engaging Men in Healthcare seminar
In association with Men’s Health Week in June 2011, the department hosted a seminar entitled Engaging Men in Healthcare. The seminar was opened by Minister for Health David Davis and brought together a number of experts to discuss how health promotion, policy and services can be more effective when informed by a clearer understanding of men’s differing health needs.
Two of these presentations are available below.
- Peter Strange presentation
- Peter Strange is a Nurse Practitioner (Men’s Health) at the Bendigo Community Health Service. This highly successful model brings together men’s community and work place health promotion initiatives with a male friendly health clinic, to better address the needs of rural men.
Peter Strange Bendigo Community Health Service - presentatio
Peter Strange presentation - MP3 audio (18min 43sec)
Peter Strange presentation - audio transcript (DOC, 57kB)
- Greg Malcher presentation
- Greg Malcher is a GP and former National Convenor of GPs4Men (Australian GPs Network for Men’s Health), which ran from 2002-2009. He has written articles on engaging men in health care that have examined men's differing ways of approaching their health and consuming health care. Greg Malcher - presentation
Greg Malcher presentation - MP3 audio (17min 47sec)
Greg Malcher presentation - audio transcript (DOC, 57kB)
Related sites
- Better Health Channel – Men’s health fact sheet
Provides comprehensive information on men’s health.
- Andrology Australia
Aims to enhance the reproductive health of males, including community and professional education strategies and support of national research programs.
- Foundation 49
Aims to reduce the number of men dying from preventable conditions by raising health awareness and encouraging regular check-ups.
- Men’s Health Information and Resource Centre
Provides information about the psychological and social wellbeing of men and boys.
- MensLine
A telephone and online support, information and referral service, helping men to deal with relationship problems in a practical and effective way.
Contact
Daniel Perkins
Senior Policy Advisor
Policy Coordination and Projects Branch
Victorian Department of Health
Email: diversity@health.vic.gov.au
Tel: 9096 8757
