Men’s Health Inequalities in the UK: Yes, Dear, You Do Actually Need to See a Doctor
Men, the remarkable creatures who would rather assemble flat pack furniture without instructions than set foot in a doctors surgery. But, guess what, ignoring your health doesn’t actually make problems disappear. Shocker!
Life Expectancy
Fun fact, (spoiler alert- it’s not fun). Men in the UK live around four years less than women. So, the usual “I’m fine,” when your arm is hanging off, will probably catch up with you. On average, Men living in places like sunny Blackpool clock out at 73.1 years, while men down South in Hampshire can smugly enjoy a full decade more. Could it be the southern air? I doubt it, probably something more boring like socio-economic inequality, but who wants to spoil a joke.
Men are more likely to die from conditions such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and you guessed it, accidents than women. Fun weekend activities like binge drinking, smoking, and flying down the M6 at 110mph?! Who would have guessed. Just because your car runs fine without regular check-ups (it actually can’t, but you know), your body can’t. Ignoring preventative care and screenings only leads to discovering issues when they are more serious.
Mental Health
Here’s one for you: what’s the leading cause of death among men under 45 in the UK? Suicide. 74% of suicides in UK are men. We know you’re not emotional robots who need to “man up.” Lads, emotions are normal. Asking for help doesn’t mean your masculinity card gets revoked, let’s talk about it. We would
definitely rather you’re here, throwing wet towels on the floor and forgetting everything we tell you, than you suffering in silence.
Campaigns
Thankfully, initiatives like Movember and Men’s Health Week have grown over the years. Moustaches are cool and talking about your health is slightly less awkward. These campaigns as designed to remind men and open conversations making reaching out to friends, getting that lump checked and talking about mental health easier for everyone. In fact, it might actually save your life.
Bottom Line: Your Health Matters, You Matter.
So, to all the men rolling their eyes and thinking, “whatever, I’m fine,” let’s drill this in. Go for your regular check up, do the tests that they’re asking you for and listen to your body, if something doesn’t feel right get it checked out before it’s too late. Chat to professionals, talk to friends and family tell them how you really feel. Despite your ability to drive us up the wall, loose everything you own and cause absolte destruction in the bathroom, we need you around.
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