New government proposals to promote men's health and address gender inequalities in life expectancy have been announced by Yvette Cooper, minister for public health. The proposals are the most significant acknowledgement of men's health needs since 1992 when the chief medical officer for England described gender differences in health in his annual report.
Speaking at a conference on young men's health last week at Aston University, Birmingham, Ms Cooper said: “We know that the biggest health inequality that exists is between men and women. If you are a man you are likely to die on average five years earlier than a woman. This health gap is wider for men from less affluent backgrounds.” Discussing the health problems faced specifically by boys and young men, she said that fetal mortality was higher among males, that “[mothers'] postnatal depression has more effect on boys than girls, boys are more likely to experience accidents, and suicide rates are four times higher in teenage boys than in girls.” Promoting men's health has failed so far, said Ms Cooper, because “the nagging nanny state approach is a complete turn off.” The newly formed Health Development Agency, formerly the Health Education Authority, has been asked to address the promotion of men's health. Other measures announced at the conference include smoking cessation clinics in low income areas and a strategy to reduce men's alcohol consumption. Ms Cooper hopes that the new national service framework for coronary heart disease (11 March, p 665) will “save men's lives and improve their health.” Government funding for research on prostate cancer, will be doubled.
Figure.
INSIGHT
New measures for men's health include smoking cessation clinics