Debunking the myths about men’s health

New research shows that in fact men are prioritising their overall health, whilst showing a greater need to focus on mental health

• Two in five (42%) men and women got an appointment booked within a week, when asked about the most recent time they wanted to talk to a healthcare practitioner. This challenges common misperceptions about men’s health
• Men are acting proactively with their health; 45% say they usually book their appointments themselves with no prompting, while one in three (32%) are usually prompted by someone else.
• When it comes to mental health, around a third of men (34%) said they would wait a month or more after noticing that they were feeling down or agitated more often than usual. Around one quarter of men (24%) said they wouldn’t book an appointment for this at all.

According to new research, carried out by Movember to coincide with Men's Health Week 2023, men and women in the UK are equally likely to get an appointment booked with a healthcare practitioner within a week when they want to talk about a health matter for themselves.

A survey of 2,218 UK adults aged 18-75, commissioned by the leading men’s health charity, found that two out of five (42%) male and female respondents got an appointment booked within a week, when asked about the most recent time they wanted to talk to a healthcare practitioner. This challenges a common misperception that men either ignore health problems or are slow to seek medical advice.

The results also showed 45% of men say they usually book / ask someone to book their healthcare practitioner appointments with no prompting from anyone else while one in three (32%) said they were prompted by someone else to make an appointment.

Whilst this paints a better picture for overall men’s health, there are still a significant number of men who we can encourage to act faster around a health concern. When presented with a range of physical health matters*, 21% of men said they would, on average, wait a month or more to book an appointment with a healthcare practitioner and only 9% of men wouldn’t book an appointment at all. Men said they would act quickest when noticing physical symptoms such as finding a lump on their testicle or blood in their stool (81% and 78% respectively said they would make an appointment within a fortnight).

However, when it comes to mental health, around a third of men (34%) said they would wait a month or more after noticing that they were feeling down or agitated more often than usual. Worryingly, around one quarter of men (24%) said they wouldn’t book an appointment for this at all. These data are important because the results of poor mental health can be deadly. In the UK, three out of four suicides in the UK are men and it remains the leading cause of death in men under the age of 50.[i] Improving overall mental health and helping men establish better social connections can reduce the risk of suicide.

Sarah Coghlan, Global Director, Men’s Health Promotion Programme at Movember said:

"These results show that men around the world are far more proactive when it comes to their health in contrast to the stereotypes that we are familiar with. From our work with thousands of men over the last 20 years, we know that in fact men do care about their health and wellbeing and are prepared to be proactive in seeking medical advice.

“However, although there has been a lot of progress made, men’s health remains unnecessarily poor. This is partly because many men don’t know the signs they may need help because of how men are taught to think about and respond to their own health issues, particularly when it comes to their mental health.

When we’re going through a stressful period that is impacting our mental wellbeing, we don’t always recognise what’s happening at the time. Signs that may indicate things aren’t quite right include mood swings, social isolation, sudden bursts of anger, not sleeping properly, feeling tired and lacking in energy, eating more or less than usual, or losing interest in things we normally enjoy. Our goal is to get men to understand their own health risks and how and when to get support when they notice changes.”

Anupam Gehani, a 38-year-old consultant in the energy transition sector, from London, has been a Movember supporter for three years. He said:

“I went through a difficult time in 2020. I was facing multiple challenges between personal relationships, career, and medical emergencies in the family; it was all happening at once. I tried to soldier on, but I could not cope with the new changes and began to buckle, presenting pronounced symptoms of poor mental wellbeing. I did not know how or whom to ask for help.

No one around me had ever supported someone experiencing deteriorating levels of mental wellbeing. It took a while to figure this out on my own, but I sought professional medical support to appropriately diagnose the impact my condition was having on me.

I was very fortunate to find and join a men’s group that convenes circles to talk (or just listen) in a safe and confidential space. Within this group, I gained the confidence to open up to friends and family, building deeper connections.”

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[i] UK Government. Department of Health. Men urged to talk about health to prevent suicide.

Available: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/men-urged-to-talk-about-mental-health-to-prevent-suicide