Debunking the myths about men’s health

New research shows that in fact men are prioritising their overall health, whilst showing a greater need to focus on mental health.

• Survey data averaged across four countries finds that men in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US report they are more likely than women to make an appointment to see a health practitioner as soon as they think they have a physical health problem (50% vs 44%). This challenges a common misperception about men’s health.
• Many men are acting more proactively with their health than we may have thought: 1 in 2 (45% in UK, 47% in US, 47% in Canada, and 58% in Australia) usually book their doctor's appointments themselves with no prompting; only around one third (32% in UK, 26% in US, 27% in Canada, and 20% in Australia) are prompted by someone else.
• When it comes to mental health, men said they would wait an average of 7 weeks (UK 8.3 weeks, US 6.3 weeks, Canada 8 weeks, Australia 6.8 weeks) after noticing that they were feeling down or agitated more often than usual, before booking an appointment.
• Men are significantly less likely to focus on their mental health than women, data averaged across four countries shows only around one quarter of men (23%) state that their mental health is a personal priority for the next 12 months compared to 29% of females.

Men are more likely than women to get an appointment booked with a healthcare practitioner as soon as they think they have a physical health issue (50% vs. 44%), according to a new survey carried out by Movember to coincide with Men's Health Week 2023.

A survey of 8,529 adults aged 18-75 in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US, found that many men are more proactive than once thought when it comes to their health: data averaged across the four countries shows only one in three (32% in UK, 26% in US, 27% in Canada, and 20% in Australia) said they were usually prompted by someone else to make an appointment, and women (48%) are more likely to have avoided making a healthcare appointment compared with men (40%). This challenges the common misperception that men generally either ignore physical health problems or are slow to seek medical advice.

Whilst this paints a better picture for overall men’s health, there are still a significant number of men who we can encourage to act faster around a health concern.

When presented with a range of potentially significant physical health matters, on average, across the UK, US, Australia and Canada, 20% of men said they would wait a month or more to book an appointment with a healthcare practitioner and 8% wouldn’t book an appointment at all. Men said they would act quickest when noticing physical symptoms such as finding a lump on their testicle or blood in their stool (80% and 78% respectively said they would make an appointment within a fortnight).

However, when it comes to mental health, around a third of men across the four countries (32%) said they would wait a month or more after noticing that they were feeling down or agitated more often than usual. Worryingly, 22% said they wouldn’t book an appointment for this at all.

Furthermore, data averaged across the four countries also show that men are significantly less likely than women to prioritize their mental health over the next 12 months: nearly a quarter of men (23%) stated that their mental health is a personal priority for that time, compared with nearly a third of women (29%). In Australia, the UK and the US, 1 in 5 men (22 in UK and Australia, and 21% in US) ranked mental health as their fifth personal priority, lower than socialising with friends and/or family (27% in UK, 25% in US and Australia) and travelling (27% in UK, 21% in US and 29% in Australia). These data are important because the results of poor mental health can be deadly.

Globally, a man dies every minute from suicide, and men account for 69% of all suicides. Improving overall mental health and helping men establish better social connections can reduce the risk of suicide.

Sarah Coghlan, Global Director, Men’s Health Promotion Programme at Movember, said:

"These results show that men around the world are far more proactive when it comes to their physical health in contrast to the stereotypes that we are familiar with. From our work with thousands of men over the last 20 years, we know that in fact many men do care about their health and wellbeing and are prepared to be proactive in seeking medical advice.

“However, although there has been a lot of progress made, men’s health remains unnecessarily poor. Men are dying on average 4.5 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons - it’s vital that we address this. Part of the problem is that many men don’t know how to recognise signs that they may need help because of how men are taught to think about and respond to their own health issues, particularly when it comes to their mental health. We also need to identify the barriers that are preventing men from accessing services and take action to remove them.

"When we’re going through a stressful period that is impacting our mental wellbeing, we don’t always recognise what’s happening at the time. Signs that may indicate things aren’t quite right include mood swings, social isolation, sudden bursts of anger, not sleeping properly, feeling tired and lacking in energy, eating more or less than usual, or losing interest in things we normally enjoy. Our goal is to get men to understand their own health risks and how and when to get support when they notice changes.”

Peter Baker, Director of Global Action on Men’s Health, said:

'These are very interesting findings and we now need more detailed research in this field. We need to know, for example, how what men say they will do when they have a health problem corresponds with what they actually do. However, the findings suggest that, when it comes to significant physical health issues, a substantial minority of men delay seeking help for too long and for mental health problems many more men are slow to act. We need to address the barriers that are blocking these men, such as stigma but also practical issues like clinic opening hours and difficult-to-use appointment systems.'

Anupam Gehani a 38-year-old consultant in the energy transition sector, from London, has been a Movember supporter for three years. He said:

“I went through a difficult time in 2020. I was facing multiple challenges between personal relationships, career, and medical emergencies in the family; it was all happening at once. I tried to soldier on, but I could not cope with the new changes and began to buckle, presenting pronounced symptoms of poor mental wellbeing. I did not know how or whom to ask for help. No one around me had ever supported someone experiencing deteriorating levels of mental wellbeing. It took a while to figure this out on my own, but I sought professional medical support to appropriately diagnose the impact my condition was having on me. I was very fortunate to find and join a men’s group that convenes circles to talk (or just listen) in a safe and confidential space. Within this group, I gained the confidence to open up to friends and family, building deeper connections.”