Background
Men’s Health Week is celebrated globally on an annual basis.
Men’s Health Week was founded in 1994, the week was linked to Father’s Day in the United States. Men’s Health Week became an international event in 2002, led by the Men’s Health Network, who was able to come to an agreement with representatives from several other leading men’s health organisations around the world met and resolved to work together on Men’s Health Week.
According to menshealthmonth.org: “The goal is to raise awareness of male health issues on a global level and to encourage inter- and intra-national institutions to develop health policies and services that meet the specific needs of men, boys, and their families.”
This year, Men’s Health Week will take place from the 13th – 19th of June 2022. The hashtag which is being used this year to promote Men’s Health Week is, #menshealthweek.
Theme
For 2022, the theme is “Time for your M.O.T”.
According to menshealthforum.org.uk: “We need to be at the top of our game, physically and mentally. So, for this year’s Men’s Health Week, which runs 13-19 June. It’s time for you, me and men everywhere, to give ourselves an MOT”.
What is a Man MOT?
The Men’s Health Forum have created an “interactive manual” called the “Man MOT”.
This manual focuses on assisting men with self-checks and simple measures to improve their health. The Man MOT manual can be viewed here, a physical copy of the Man MOT can be purchased from the Men’s Health Forum’s online store.
Men’s Health in the UK
According to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH): “Men’s health in the UK is unnecessarily and unacceptably poor. Around one in five men die before the ‘traditional’ retirement age of 65 with cancer, suicide and heart disease being the biggest killers of working-age men.”
The information regarding male health is a major concern, according to menshealthforum.org.uk: “The figures are shocking. 19% of men in England, in Wales and Northern Ireland and 22% of men in Scotland die before they retire.”
According to mentalhealthforum.org.uk: “In England, around one in eight men has a common mental health problem such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).”
This is also a major issue with men’s ability to understand information to make decisions about their health, according to menshealthforum.org.uk: “Men have lower levels of health literacy than women, with men twice as likely to have inadequate health literacy”. Additionally, the Men’s Health Forum have also stated that “Men are less likely to use a general practice or visit a pharmacy – in the age group 20-40, women attended a general practice twice as often.”
What about cancer? Well according to Cancer Research UK: “Overall the number of men getting cancer is rising”.
With the most common cancer in men being prostate cancer. According to Cancer Research UK: “Around 52,300 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK each year. In men, it is the most common cancer in the UK.”
It is very important to get health checks from your doctor or local GP, according to Oxfordonlinepharmacy.co.uk: “It is good practice to arrange a routine health check every few years to keep track of your overall health, such as blood pressure, cholesterol and any worries.”
What can I do to improve my physical health?
There are many ways that are suggested to improve your physical health, some of these are listed below:
- Increase the amount of daily physical exercise – According to the NHS: “Adults should do some type of physical activity every day. Exercise just once or twice a week can reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.” If you would like to view the NHS exercise guidelines, then please click here.
- Eating a balanced diet – Eating a balanced diet can be difficult, but there is a lot of information and guides online that can be used to help you to create a balanced diet. A good example is the NHS’ eight tips for healthy eating, which is part of their “Eat well” guidance.
- Drinking more water – drinking more water per day will help keep you hydrated and alert throughout the day.
- Break your unhealthy habits – Unhealthy habits such as smoking, excessive drinking and drug use can cause multiple health issues, these health issues include lung cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease and more. If you would like support to help you break these unhealthy habits, then please go to your GP or a medical professional, who can advise and support you on your steps to quitting.
How do I join in Men’s Health Week?
You can join in Men’s Health Week by:
- Sharing on social media – By sharing articles and information about Men’s Health Week, why we need to bring awareness towards men’s health and why it is so important.
- Participating in a fundraiser – A fundraiser is a perfect way of showing awareness and raising money for the charity of your choice, such as the Scottish Half Marathon, Inflatable 5K or Tough Mudder.
- Download The CAN DO Manual – According to menshealthforum.org.uk: “We’re putting together The CAN DO Manual collecting together all the great ideas our Men’s Health Champions have had for things we can all do to boost our mental wellbeing. It’ll be available FREE during this week.” If you would like to download The CAN DO Manual then please go to www.menshealthforum.org.uk/mhw.
What can I do to improve my mental health?
We have listed a few tips that could help you improve your mental health below;
- Enjoy your hobbies – Take some time for yourself throughout the week and enjoy your hobbies, according to mentalhealth.org.uk: “Enjoying yourself helps beat stress. Doing an activity that you enjoy probably means you’re good at it and achieving something boosts your self-esteem.”
- Take a break – According to mentalhealth.org.uk: “A change of scene or a change of pace is good for your mental health. It could be a five-minute pause from cleaning your kitchen, a half-hour lunch break at work or a weekend exploring somewhere new.”
- Talk to someone – Talking to someone else about what you are struggling with can help you to realise how you are feeling and what you can do to accept and live with this feeling.
If you feel that your mental health is being affected, be sure to reach out to your support system or a mental health support service as soon as possible.
We recommend that you reach out to the Samaritans to talk about anything that is upsetting you, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123, which is free from any phone. If you do not wish to speak to someone on the phone, then you can send an email to jo@samaritans.org.