Thousands of men are dying prematurely in the UK every week because of society’s failure to take their health seriously, a damning report warns today.
The Real Face of Men’s Health report says two in five men (39 per cent) die younger than they should, meaning 133,000 a year are lost too soon.
Many could have been saved with improved access to screening for diseases such as prostate cancer or by breaking the taboos that delay them coming forward for care, it adds.
Others would have lived longer if they had received help to improve their lifestyles, including cutting back on alcohol, junk food and smoking and doing more exercise.
The charity Movember claims men’s health has been ‘relegated to the sidelines’ and says its report should serve as a ‘wake-up call’ to the unacceptable state of men’s healthcare in the UK.
Thousands of men are dying prematurely in the UK every week because of society’s failure to take their health seriously, a damning report warns today
The Real Face of Men’s Health report says two in five men (39 per cent) die younger than they should, meaning 133,000 a year are lost too soon
It is calling for a dedicated men’s health strategy to reverse a decline in men’s life expectancy and a dedicated national clinical director for men’s health, mirroring an existing role for women.
The report highlights how the health of men in the UK is lagging behind most other wealthy nations and lays bare the devastating impact of the crisis crisis on men and their families.
A boy born in the UK in 2021 can expect to live to 78.7, which is four years less than a girl.
It is also three years less than boys in Switzerland, 2.6 years less than boys in Australia and 1.3 years less than boys in Ireland.
In England and Wales, suicide is the leading cause of death among men aged 20 to 34, and the suicide rate generally is three times higher for men than women.
The report reveals men are less likely to have healthy lifestyles than women, and are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol, take drugs, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
They are also less likely to attend health screening appointments and check-ups with their GP, putting them at risk of late diagnosis of illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.
New polling for the study shows two thirds of men (64 per cent) wait more than a week with symptoms before visiting the doctor, while a third (31 per cent) will wait over a month.
Sam Cornforth (left) and Pete Wicks (right) partnered with men’s health charity, Movember ahead of testicular cancer awareness month in April to encourage men to regularly check themselves and ‘Know Thy Nuts’
And when men do seek help, healthcare systems are inadequately prepared to provide them with ‘engaging, appropriate, and effective care’, the report notes.
Many men (62 per cent) say they want to leave their practitioner or have left a previous one, due to a lack of ‘personal connection’.
Some 48 per cent believe it is normal practice to avoid health check-ups, with less than 40 per cent taking up the offer of an NHS health check for which they are eligible.
The report reveals men are deterred from seeking help because of ‘stigma’ or ‘traditional masculine norms’, which suggest they should ‘man-up’ and endure pain or risk being ridiculed by women for having ‘man flu’.
Movember said tackling preventable diseases in men could have saved the UK £9.4 billion in 2023 alone – enough to cover the costs of nine of England’s biggest hospitals.
Researchers stress the impact is felt beyond men themselves, with their mostly female partners often forced to act as carers when they fall ill and then left to grieve once they die.
Michelle Terry, chief executive of Movember, said: ‘The report findings should serve as a wake-up call to the unacceptable state of men’s health across the UK.’
‘For too long, men’s health has been relegated to the sidelines of broader health conversations. Men’s health doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
‘If we want these tragic numbers to decrease, and better support the men in our lives, real change is needed urgently.’
The report found men living in the ten constituencies with the highest premature death rates are almost 3.5 times more likely to die early than men living in the ten constituencies with the lowest.
It says: ‘Twenty years of campaigning in men’s health has taught us that everyone has a story to tell.
‘Stories of men not knowing their risks. Not paying attention to their physical and mental health.
‘For too long, men’s health has been relegated to the sidelines’ said Michelle Terry, chief executive of charity Movember
‘Accounts of men leaving it too late to speak to a healthcare professional, or simply having a poor experience when they do.
‘Everyday, we hear from men themselves but also their wives, mothers, sisters, partners, mates, neighbours, children, teachers and doctors.
‘William Roberts, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: ‘Too many men are dying too young and too many men experience poor health due to preventable conditions.
‘It is critical that we address the underlying causes of poor men’s health. Men’s health affects us all and we need to see it as critical part of a healthy nation.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We know men can be reluctant to engage with health and other support services.
‘Asking for help is not a sign of weakness and we encourage anyone to speak to their GP if they have concerns.’
