Health policy for men in the pipeline

Jun 9 2008

Plans are in the pipeline to raise awareness of health issues which affect men in particular.

The Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon says the government has set in motion plans for the development of Australia's first health policy for men based on a draft document developed in 1996.

The Health Minister says a discussion paper followed by consultations across the country over the next 12 months, will raise awareness of preventable problems and specific health challenges which men need to deal with.

Ms Roxon says the resistance amongst men with regard to seeking treatment is an issue the government is determined to help men tackle.

The government's national Men's Health Policy aims to address the large diversity between the health of men and women.

The initiative has been given a kick start with a grant of $460,000 grant to the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and another $95,000 to encourage men to seek preventative health checks.

The Men's Health policy will aims to overcome the widespread resistance among men to seek treatment by making health services more male-friendly and to engage men in looking after their own health.

Research in recent years has revealed that not only do men on average die almost five years earlier than women, but they are also three times more likely to commit suicide and to die from HIV/AIDS, lung cancer, emphysema and liver diseases.

Ms Roxon says men's health is an issue which is too often overlooked.