"Work is stressing me out
And after all this time
It's still not boring, no
Why would I spend the rest of my days unhappy
Why would I spend the rest of this year alone
When I can go therapy
When I can go therapy"
Therapy by Mary J. Blige(Click here for the song)
Thank you to Hannah Frankel for her song recommendation.
Spotlight on therapy:
The wonderful team at Movember, with the guidance of Dr Zac Seidler, have produced a “red-hot 5-part video series; we’ll answer all your burning questions about therapy: what it is, how it can change your life and most importantly...how to get it.”
Click here for the full series: https://conversations.movember.com/en/therapy-for-men/#video1
Please note
Whilst Movember is focused on men's health, all my readers have the responsibility to be proactive with their physical and mental health.
The problematic status of men’s health.
Recent research has found that compared to women the same age, younger Australian men aged between 15 and 45 years are not regularly accessing health services, including primary healthcare such as visiting a general practitioner (GP) with a health concern, and preventative health services such as visiting a GP just for a check-up when not sick.Regular readers understand that neglecting self-care increases the risk of health issues like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental health challenges. These chronic conditions often develop slowly, making it easy to overlook early warning signs until it's too late.
Prioritising your well-being not only allows you to perform at your best but also sets a positive example, encouraging family and friends to seek the support they need to care for themselves.
What are the barriers to accessing help?
Researchers have identified a set of barriers commonly reported to be preventing boys and men from effective access to healthcare. These barriers emerged in both the Australian and international literature and operated at individual, systemic, structural and/or cultural levels. It was also evident that these barriers are interrelated, suggesting a need for multi-level approaches to improve health system access for men.
The most common patterns of barriers that emerged related to:
Individual:
Stoicism and self-reliance (rigid masculinity)
Minimisation of symptoms
Help-seeking reluctance and delay
Fear of diagnosis, treatment, or mortality
Internalised stigma and embarrassment
Poor health literacy
Low service knowledge
Health System:
Waiting periods
Practitioner communication
Practitioner/service unavailability
Poor inter-service coordination
Practitioner biases and insufficient knowledge
Lack of male-specific services
Structural:
Consultation costs
Lack of transport
Inconvenient operating hours
Distance from services
Cultural:
Lack of culturally responsive services
Lack of culturally specific knowledge
Culturally embedded stigma
Language barriers
Discrimination
Other barriers reported in the literature were more specific to sub-groups of men, such as physical access barriers to medical centres for men with disabilities, or the perception of services as being female- and child-centric, which was most commonly reportedly in studies of fathers.
Australian Perspective
In 2019, the Australian Government released the National Men’s Health Strategy 2020–2030. The strategy’s overarching goal is for every man and boy in Australia to be supported to live a long, fulfilling, and healthy life. A male-specific approach to health aims to address the biological and cultural factors that may contribute to men’s shorter life expectancy and poorer outcomes in various health areas.
Delays in seeking help:
“When attending their general practitioner (GP), men have shorter consultations, see the GP later during their illness, leave significant health issues unattended, and are more likely to somatise emotional problems when compared to women.”
Vincent, A. D., Drioli-Phillips, P. G., Le, J., Cusack, L., Schultz, T. J., McGee, M. A., Turnbull, D. A., & Wittert, G. A.
Recent research found that 68% of men strongly agreed that they delay or avoid visiting a doctor at least occasionally. Additionally, men’s health issues often remain untreated, or only single problems are addressed in isolation, leaving general health risk factors unexamined. Men typically monitor their health and make deliberate choices about when and how to seek assistance. They are motivated to improve their health and have a genuine interest in their well-being. However, work and family commitments commonly lead to delays in visiting the doctor, especially among younger, healthy men.
Researchers have found that when choosing whether or not to access health care, individuals weigh up the following:
their perceived susceptibility to a disease or disorder;
the seriousness of the disease;
the perceived benefits of and barriers to specific health behaviours;
perceived threats of their behaviours to things they value;
and, perceived self-efficacy to behave in a way that will reduce the health risk.
Researchers have found that when all these issues are addressed, there is an increased likelihood that medical care will be assessed in a timely fashion, resulting in improved health outcomes.
Other factors to consider:
1. Individual differences in responses to stress:
To explain patients’ delay in seeking help between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis, researchers have suggested that in response to stress, individuals adopt a coping pattern characterised by either vigilance or avoidance. "High monitors" are vigilant, seeking information about the stressor to reduce their anxiety, while "high blunters" avoid information and cope more effectively with limited details. The hypothesis proposes that patients fare better when they receive an amount of information suited to their specific coping style.
2. Intersectionality or complex convergence of risk:
Researchers recognise that individuals belong to multiple groups, and when the unique vulnerabilities and opportunities of these groups intersect, issues can become more pronounced. Any comprehensive approach to men’s health—whether personal, workplace-based, or national—must consider factors like ethnicity, socioeconomic disadvantage, disability, sexual orientation, geographic location, age, and specific health risks. The social and cultural dynamics of these groups often combine to shape health decisions, behaviours, and receptivity to healthcare.
3. Life course perspectives:
Researchers have found that age-related differences affect men’s and boys' acceptance of e-health programs, but age is just one aspect of life experience. Socioeconomic disadvantage, discrimination, limited knowledge, past negative experiences, social influences, and risk-taking behaviours can compound over time, reinforcing barriers to accessing support.
The following initiatives have been found to increase the likelihood that men will access appropriate health care:
Provide evidence-based information and self-monitoring tools and resources for men.
These tools need to:
- be available at traditional health services and all the other places where men go.
- include accurate information to improve health literacy for men incorporate behavioural change strategies,
- provide links to relevant services, and
- offer triggers and incentives to visit their doctor for health checks.
GP services should design and market their services towards men in a way that uniquely addresses the common reasons for delay/avoidance. For example, more suitable opening times, reasonable waiting times, availability of information and reading materials pertinent to men’s health and doctors with good awareness of men’s health issues and their presentation.
Normalising healthcare for boys and modelling positive healthcare behaviours, including help-seeking, will be a critical factor in intergenerational change.
Support from family, and friends and engagement with the community.
Spotlight on mental health:
“Looking after yourself is about self-respect and is not a selfish act. A lot of people who are caring for others put themselves last, and this can lead to burnout and impact their mental health,”
Dr Kampel
Regular readers would know that I am passionate about enhancing psychological well-being. Thus, I believe that any information on men’s health necessitates a focus on mental health.
Researchers have identified the following reasons why men typically don’t look after their mental health:
Lack of awareness – Many people don’t fully understand the impact their choices have on their body and well-being. Without good role models, it’s hard to realize how much better they could feel with healthier habits.
Distorted self-perception – Some people may not see the extent of their struggles or, conversely, may feel so defeated that they can’t imagine being any different.
Choosing convenience – Reaching for quick meals or spending time on social media can be an easy distraction, making it simpler to watch others live their lives than to make changes in our own.
Denial – Often, people are unaware of their issues or prefer not to admit them, thinking the consequences are something that will affect others, not themselves.
Suppressing deeper issues – Our external choices often reflect internal struggles. For instance, those who have experienced trauma may turn to food, exercise, alcohol, or other means to cope with painful emotions.
Things to do today:
Look after yourself
Make an extended appointment to see your Doctor (GP) today for your annual check-up, a thorough head-to-toe and examination of everything in between.
Get referrals to the appropriate specialists.
Make a follow-up appointment with the GP to discuss any test results and specialist reports
Tell others about the proactive steps you are taking concerning your physical and psychological health.
Encourage and support your family, friends, staff, colleagues and peers to do the same.
If you do not have a regular Doctor, now is an excellent time to find one.
In the workplace:
Encourage your staff, colleagues and peers to go to the Doctor for a check-up.
Talk to people you haven’t spoken to for a while and see how they are.
Get to know people at work so that you actually notice a change in their behaviour.
Notice a change in someone's behaviour and encourage them to get help. (click here for my blog on the common signs)
Follow up on someone you have already spoken to
Take active steps to reduce the stigma of mental health at work.
Reduce the fear of seeking medical treatment.
Create a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.
Keeping accountable:
So just click here and tell me what you are going to do to improve men's physical and psychological health.
As always, please email me if you or anyone in your network would benefit from coaching, if you have any comments or if you want to just catch up.
References:
McGraw, J., White, K. M., & Russell-Bennett, R. (2021). Masculinity and men's health service use across four social generations: Findings from Australia's Ten to Men study. SSM - population health, 15, 100838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100838
Vincent, A. D., Drioli-Phillips, P. G., Le, J., Cusack, L., Schultz, T. J., McGee, M. A., Turnbull, D. A., & Wittert, G. A. (2018). Health behaviours of Australian men and the likelihood of attending a dedicated men's health service. BMC public health, 18(1), 1078. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5992-6
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023). The health of Australia’s males, Health behaviours and risk factors of Australia’s males. [online] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/men-women/male-health/contents/health-behaviours-and-risk-factors-of-australias-m.
Macdonald, J.A., Mansour, K.A, Wynter, K., Francis, L. M., Rogers, A., Angeles, M.R., Pennell, M., Biden, E., Harrison, T., & Smith, I. (2022). Men’s and Boys’ Barriers to Health System Access. A Literature Review. Prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra.
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