Men’s Health Week 2022: Building Healthy Environments for Men and Boys
The theme for this year’s Men’s Health Week – from 13-19 June 2022 – is ‘Building Healthy Environments for Men and Boys’.
Co-ordinated by the Centre for Male Health at Western Sydney University, organisations, individuals and community groups are encouraged to celebrate the week by running an event and promoting it on the MHW website.
This year’s theme focuses on creating physically, mentally and emotionally healthy environments in the home, workplace and in social settings.
VIEW: AMHF's TOP PICKS FOR MEN'S HEALTH WEEK 2022
During the week, the WSU will highlight the health challenges faced by men in Australia and worldwide and bring together people who care about better health for men and boys.
The Men’s Health Week website provides tools to register and promote community events so that interested people can find out what is happening and who to talk to.
The Men’s Health Week team is currently developing resources to support Men’s Health Week 2022. Please keep an eye on the website for new resources over the coming months.
Event organisers will receive digital event packs to support their efforts in engaging local men and boys and help them run successful events during Men's Health Week.
Ideas for engaging Men and Boys
Western Sydney University has recommendations for anyone thinking about planning a Men’s Health Week event.
Tip #1: Keep it simple and make it fun. “Don't overthink what you have to do to make it 'healthy'. Think of activities that are likely to be fun for your target group.”
Tip #2: Make the event male-friendly. “Use visuals that display dads and kids or real-world men in different settings and have a mix of male and female workers.”
Tip #3: Go where men are: Ask yourself where men will come across information about your event. Use peer networks, friends, workplaces, sporting clubs and partners to promote your event.
Tip #4: Be patient. It can take time to establish an event.
Tip #5: Include accessible health information. “Put it into a showbag rather than leave it open to pick and choose from - that way, blokes might take it home and have a quiet read.”
VIEW REGISTERED EVENTS (BY STATE/TERRITORY)
FACTS AND STATS ABOUT MEN'S HEALTH IN AUSTRALIA
In 2020 the median age of death was 78.9 years for males and 84.6 for females.
The top five leading causes of death for both sexes have remained the same since 2020. They are:
1. Ischaemic heart disease (10.3% in 2020)
2. Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, was the second leading cause of death.
3. Cerebrovascular Disease
4. Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer
5. Chronic lower respiratory disease
Men's top 10
In 2020, 84,588 males died. The leading causes were:
#1 Ischaemic heart disease (10,040 deaths)
#2 Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
#3 Cerebrovascular Disease
#4 Trachea, bronchus and lung cancer
#5 Chronic lower respiratory disease
#6 Prostate Cancer
#7 Malignant neoplasm of colon, sigmoid, rectum and anus
#8 Diabetes
#9 Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, haematopoietic and related tissue
#10 Suicide. More than three-quarters (75.9%) of people who died from suicide were male. Their median age was 43.6 years.
#37 Covid-19: 438 males died in 2020
Male suicide
The suicide rate for males increased between 2011 and 2020 from 16.2 to 18.6 deaths per 100,000.
Suicide is the leading cause of death for 15-44 year olds.
Suicide was the second leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males who died between 2011 and 2020. This compares to 10th for females.
Gender comparisons
- In 2020 there were 3,139 deaths by suicide. 2384 were males and 744 females
- In 2020 1163 people died from a motor vehicle accident. 870 were males, 293 were females.
- In 2020 there were 1842 drug-induced deaths. 1187 were male and 655 female.
- In 2020 1452 people died of an alcohol-induced death. 1056 were male, 396 were female.
SOURCE: Australian Bureau of Statistics