Engaging Men in Health Services

SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION PUT OUT BY ANDROLOGY AUSTRALIA ABOUT ENGAGING MEN IN HEALTH SERVICES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS THIS CORRECT?

There is a myth that men don’t visit their doctor. However, most men 40+ years have visited a doctor in the last 12 months.
But compared to women, men visit the doctor less often, have shorter consultations and tend to see their GP later in the courseof their illness
•• A range of barriers appear to exist for men’s help seeking,particularly if the area is of a sensitive nature
•• Discussing sensitive issues such as mental health, sexual dysfunction or reproductive health is a shared responsibility between patient and doctor
•• It is important for GPs to maximise opportunities to engage men effectively


What influences men’s interaction with GPs
•• Men are often influenced by their partners and friends when
considering to seek help
•• Metaphors comparing men’s bodies to cars have been used in health promotion to enhance men’s understanding of preventable risk factors, although it may not appeal to all men
•• Displaying and disseminating health information in the local community may improve men’s health awareness and encourage men to visit their GP regularly
•• Creating more ‘male friendly’ environments by i) using men’s health displays ii) acknowledging the challenges men face in making and waiting for appointments iii) providing a broad range of services and ) providing evening appointments.
However, the effectiveness of ‘male friendly’ environments should be tested at a local clinic level
•• The perception of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety as weaknesses as opposed to illnesses can act as a barrier to seeking help. It’s important that GPs reinforce the message that depression and anxiety are illnesses that can be managed in most cases like any other illness
•• The gender of the GP does not matter, except when dealing with issues related to sexual or reproductive health where a male may be preferred by some men, particularly for older men
•• In older men and/or couples, barriers to sexual health help seeking include the GP’s personal attitudes towards sexuality, the perceived relationship with the GP and a preference for the GP to be the
same age