In recognition of Men’s Health Week, GPs are calling for more effective treatment options for men.
With Australian men falling behind on many health measures this Men’s Health Week stands as a great opportunity for GPs to advocate for better integration of mental health services, say the RACGP and AMA.
According to the AMA, 40% of Australian men die before the age of 75, often from preventable causes.
Further statistics have shown that a lack of GP visits could be partially to blame; only 78% of men saw a GP compared to 87% of women.
The call-to-arms from medical bodies come in the wake of the 2024 Real Face of Men’s Health report that showed 60% of men would wait for more than seven days with symptoms before visiting a doctor.
Much of this under-representation in GP visits has been attributed to feelings of confusion amongst men regarding health information, which one in three men admitted to in the report.
A further 63% of men felt that gender stereotyping of stoicism had affected their health behaviours and engagement with healthcare settings.
“Men’s Health Week is a great opportunity to remind men about the health conditions that they’re more likely to be affected by, and to reinforce the importance of having a GP who you trust and who knows you,” RACGP president Dr Michael Wright told The Medical Republic.
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“We know that at every age level, boys and men are less likely to consult with a GP compared to women, and this is particularly true for younger men.
“Men are also more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours that place them a greater risk, such as higher rates of smoking and unsafe alcohol consumption as well as obesity.”
‘Movember’ has, a notable advocacy group in this space, has used this week to reiterate its calls for men’s health reform.
These reforms align with calls from GP bodies regarding a more effective integration of mental health services with general practice.
“Building capability across the systems that surround boys and men, such as online spaces, sporting clubs and health services, is key to ongoing support,” Movember director of health professional education Ben Rogers told TMR.
“As we encourage men to speak up and seek help, we must ensure the system is equipped to respond in ways that resonate.
“By embedding this approach into clinical training, day-to-day practice and public health messaging, we can keep the momentum going and shift the system to better support men’s mental health in the long term.
“GPs play a vital role in supporting men’s mental health.
“They are often the first point of contact when men seek help, making it critical that they feel confident identifying signs of distress and connecting men to the right level of care, including mental health services.”
