Table 5.

Health-Related Benefits and Successful Implementation of Men’s Sheds (Deductive Codes).

Codes	Subcodes	Findings
Self-rated health	Peer support	The informal, male-friendly, and safe shed environment encourages men to talk about health issues. The participating men share health and illness experiences as well as knowledge and give advice to each other. The men are physically active through shed participation. However, health benefits are mainly related to mental health.
	Physical activity
	Health benefits
Subjective well-being	Distraction and escape from worries	By engaging in the practical and social shed activities, shed members forget about their worries and develop a sense of purpose and pride which contributes to improvements in well-being.
	Sense of purpose and pride
Social isolation	Social interaction	The shed environment facilitates social interaction between the participating men which can counteract social isolation in retirement. Social interaction is characterized by communicating “shoulder to shoulder.” Thereby, men develop a sense of belonging. The companionship and new connections both expand and strengthen the social network.
	Shoulder to shoulder-communication
	Sense of belonging
	Companionship and new connections
Characteristics of a successful Men’s Shed	Shed facilities	Characteristics of a successful Men’s Shed include appropriate shed facilities, sufficient funding as well as a participant-driven management and organization of the shed.
	Funding
	Management and organization