Australia has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world, however the life expectancy rates of men in Australia is much lower when compared to Australian women. Males have a higher death rate in every age group compared to women except for over 65 because men are less likely to make it to retirement age.
Men’s Health – This is due to some obvious physical reasons including men being more likely to partake in risk taking behaviour and work in more dangerous and labour-intensive jobs. However, this is also due to lifestyle reasons such as men usually having poorer stress or anger management including time management and dealing with economic pressures. They also have a less advanced idea of the meaning of good health mainly focusing on the physical ability to function and disregarding the importance of social, psychological and nutrition factors. Men are also less likely to go to a GP or health professional when they have a health concern.
This leads to a list of health complications including increased risk of cardiovascular disease (high blood pressure and cholesterol levels), cancer (especially prostate, lung and bowel cancer), suicide, diabetes. Men outnumber women in all these categories and have higher death rates from all these diseases as well.
Therefore, it is so important for men to understand their own health from a wholistic point of view which allows them to realise all the biopsychosocial factors that effect their health. This month talk to your GP about factors that might be affecting your health and discuss the benefits of a referral to an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP). An AEP is a health professional that can provide tailored exercise prescription and lifestyle change advice that could severely improve your quality of life and decrease your risk of developing a range of chronic diseases.
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Further details please refer to:
Source: Hall, R.H., 2003. Promoting men’s health. Australian family physician, 32(6), p.401.
Smith, J.A. and Robertson, S., 2008. Men’s health promotion: a new frontier in Australia and the UK?. Health Promotion International, 23(3), pp.283-289.