Groundbreaking research to investigate how work, relationships, family, school life, divorce and lifestyle affect the health and wellbeing of Australian men

Oct 12 2004

A groundbreaking research project by the University of Western Sydney is set to investigate how issues such as work, relationships, family, school life, divorce and lifestyle affect the health and wellbeing of Australian men.

The UWS Men's Health Information and Resource Centre, together with Western Sydney and Wentworth Area Health Services, are launching the pilot Boys' & Men's Longitudinal Study.

The two-year project will gather sorely-needed data on the state of Australian men's physical, social and emotional health, in order to influence health services to better meet their needs. The research is partly funded by NSW Health and the University of Western Sydney.

Men and adolescent boys aged 12 to 70 will take part in the study, which will track them over a period of 15-18 months to see how their health is progressing.

Men and boys from across Greater Western Sydney will be targeted in the pilot. This month, men western Sydney postcodes will start to receive letters in the mail outlining details of the study, and then over 700 will be selected at random to take part in a 30-40 minute telephone survey.

The questions will cover a raft of issues such as: general physical and mental health issues, visits to doctors and health professionals; stress levels; diet; alcohol use; physical and social activities; friendships and relationships; work and school life, as well as other social information.

Project coordinator, Dr Abdul Monaem from the UWS Men's Health Information and Resource Centre, says the study is a first for Australian researchers, and he hopes it will shed new light on how our men are faring in the health stakes.

"The health of adolescent boys and men is at a crossroads in Australia. For so long we have been hearing how men are more reluctant to visit the doctor; are more likely to die of disease such as cancer and heart disease; have a shorter life expectancy than women; and have disturbingly high rates of suicide and self-harm," he says.

"The statistics are worse for our socially disadvantaged men, who face even greater inequities when it comes to receiving health care and access to support services.

"While we make many assumptions about men's health, there have been no male-specific studies to determine the extent of these health problems, nor examine how the social and cultural changes that have swept the nation in the past few decades have created these health issues.

"Our study will be looking at just how much the physical and mental health problems of men and adolescent boys are linked to factors such as economic and social conditions, education and employment levels, and separation and divorce."

Dr Monaem says the advantages of a longitudinal study like this is that it can cover a broad range of the male life cycle - 12-18 years, 20-25 years, 26-30 years, 45-50 years, and 65-70 years - over a longer period.

"For many reasons, including the alarming incidence of suicide in our society, it's particularly important to track boys and men over time," he says.

"It will enable us to gain a full picture of the health challenges men face at different stages of their lives, and how frequently or infrequently they use the health system."

Dr Monaem hopes the pilot project can eventually be rolled out to men Australia-wide.

"The worsening state of men's health in Australia has become a national priority, and we need to look beyond the statistics and understand why these problems exist in order to fix them. We hope this work will help shape policy and make men feel more valued and supported when it comes to their health."

The survey has been approved by the UWS and Area Health Service Ethics Committees, and all responses and identities of participants will be kept strictly confidential. For more information about the study contact Dr Abdul Monaem on 02 4570 1712 or email [email protected]