Donegal men are being encouraged to take small, practical steps to improve their health as International Men’s Health Week gets underway across the island of Ireland from Monday June 15 to Sunday June 21.
The week, launched by Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, comes as a landmark milestone is reached, the free ‘Action Man: ten top tips for men’s health’ booklet has now reached almost one million men across Ireland, with 250,000 hard copies distributed and a further 750,000 downloaded online.
The figures come against a stark backdrop. Men continue to die younger than women on average, have higher death rates for almost all leading causes of death, and male mental health needs frequently go undiagnosed.
Organisers are deliberately steering away from guilt-laden messaging this year. Michael Lynch, Director of Men’s Action Network, said:
“This image of ‘Men Behaving Badly’ is hardly a positive place to begin an honest conversation about health improvement with anyone.
“We need to find practical and realistic ways to get ourselves into a healthy routine,” he said.
Lorcan Brennan of the Men’s Development Network added: “Men’s Health Week offers an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage men to seek help at an early stage.”
The updated ‘Action Man’ manual, free in hard copy and online, covers why action is needed, what can be done, and how to find support.
Colin Fowler of the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland said the week had grown from a handful of posters in 2005 to over 100 organisations now involved. “A million men on the island of Ireland clearly think this is the way to go.”
Download the free booklet at www.mhfi.org