Election 2025: Is men’s health research underfunded?
In the run up to the Federal election on Saturday 3 May, the Australian Men’s Health Forum (AMHF) is highlighting under-funding of men’s health under successive Governments.
Funding for men’s and women’s health is complex. There is no single pot of money to divide between the sexes, nor is there an identical set of men’s and women’s health issues that require our attention. As such, it is entirely possible for both men’s health and women’s health to be underfunded at the same time, in different ways.
In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the areas of health research where women’s health may be under-represented. In the same period, there has been little focus on the areas of health research where men’s health is under-represented.
In this article we highlight some of the ways men and boys are under-represented in health research including the fact that:
Only 16% of nearly $1.1billion of Government funding awarded to research men’s health and women’s health since 2014 has focused on male health.
How men are under-represented in research?
Australian males experience significant health inequalities, accounting for two in three potentially avoidable deaths, four in five premature deaths from heart disease and three in four suicides according to Government data.
However, there are many areas where the health needs of men and boys are under-represented in research. Sources for the statements below can be found in the AMHF paper linked at the bottom of the article.
One analysis spanning 25 years found that research exclusively relating to women is more than twice as prevalent as research exclusively relating to men.
Cancer mortality rates are around 50% higher in males when compared to females, yet a report by Global Action on Men's Health found the problem of cancer in men remains underfunded and underrepresented in global cancer research, advocacy and policy initiatives.
In the field of mental health, women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with a major depressive disorder and nearly three-times more likely to be research subjects in randomised trials of psychotherapy or behaviour change targeting depression (73% females v 26% males).
Research also suggests male depression cases are under-diagnosed because the disorder presents in a significant number of men in ways that are not consistent with standard, gender-blind diagnostic tools.
In the world of longitudinal studies, the average baseline number of female participants is 50% higher than male participants and female retention rates are 16% higher.
Men are often overlooked in research into children and their families. Fatherhood researchers describe information on male parents in national datasets as “meagre”. Men represent just 17% of parent participants in parenting and childhood obesity research, with only 1% of studies including only fathers, compared to 36% including only mothers.
These examples do not reduce the need to focus on areas of research where women are underrepresented, rather they highlight an opportunity to expand our concern about gender balance to areas of research where men are significantly underrepresented.
Where does Government research funding go?
Data published by the Government-funded National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) shows that only 16% of nearly $1.1billion awarded to research for men’s and women’s health in the 10 years since 2014 has focused on male health.
Between 2014 and 2023, $168.8 million was allocated to men’s health research and $887 million was allocated to women’s health research. Over the same period, an additional $510 million was allocated to maternal health research.
Source: NHMRC research funding statistics
Take action for men’s health
As part of our Federal Election Platform 2025, AMHF is calling on the next Government to increase funding for the National Men’s Health Strategy, which includes a strong focus on building the evidence base for men’s health.
Find out how you can make a difference for men and boys this election by asking your local candidates three questions about men’s health.
Further Reading: AMHF briefing paper on men’s and women’s health and medical research funding (PDF DOWNLOAD)