For some, November may signal the beginning of the end of the year. A time when, with the festive season around the corner, stock can be taken of the year just passed and the many achievements and lessons gained along the way.
For others, the penultimate month of the year is a time to spotlight a range of men’s health issues. It is a time to grow moustaches and check in on the men in their lives and assess where they are at, where they are headed, and where they can be supported.
International Men’s Day, which will be celebrated on 19 November this year, and Movember, which encompasses the entire penultimate month of the year, are two initiatives that aim to progress men’s health issues. Such initiatives provide the public, media and healthcare providers alike to spotlight men’s health issues while raising awareness and funds to go towards changing the way men’s health issues are viewed and tackled.
While the health of everyone, regardless of gender, is critical, research has found men face unique health challenges, including a worrying trend of men failing to seek healthcare assistance when necessary.
According to Movember’s ‘The Real Face of Men’s Health’ 2024 Australian Report, men are more likely to prioritise their work and family over checking up on their health, with 60% of men waiting over seven days before seeking health advice.
Additionally, two in five Australian men die prematurely (before age 75), with the report revealing the leading causes of premature Australian male deaths between 2020 and 2022 – coronary heart disease, lung cancer, suicide, colorectal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – are all largely avoidable.
It found that adherence to these norms created an environment where poor health is downplayed, further impacting the general wellbeing of male patients.
A core goal of initiatives like International Men’s Day and Movember is altering the stigmas surrounding men’s health and empowering the males in our lives to seek the medical advice and guidance they need.
By providing men with the tools to seek help without fear of judgement, these programs hope to reduce the number of men dying from preventable causes , which is as high as 50 Australian men per day, and change lives for the better.
Chiropractors, like many other health practitioners, remain key to increasing the reach of these initiatives and ensuring the goals and outcomes they have set out to achieve are met.
This could be simply through growing a moustache out during November, raising money for the Movember cause, and inspiring conversations with male patients about their mental health and general wellbeing during their chiropractic visits.
Or, this can be achieved through promoting the four sub-themes of this year’s International Men’s Day: building healthy communities, look out for your mates, take action, stay healthy and creating a healthier future.
Given this year’s overall theme for International Men’s Day is ‘Men’s Health Champions’ which aims to shine a spotlight on not only men’s health issues, but also on those delivering solutions, like chiropractors.
Whether it be during the entire month of November, or on International Men’s Day, this month opens the door for chiropractors across the country to play their part in changing the stigma around men’s health issues one patient at a time.