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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-07 Daily Xml
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INTERNATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (15:34): As members of the house may be aware, International Men's Health Week for 2011 runs from 13 to 19 June, that is, next week. International Men's Health Week has been celebrated and recognised in Australia since 2003. Men and boys face different health concerns from those faced by women and girls, and this week of recognition is an opportunity to both acknowledge these differences and look for ways in which to improve the health and wellbeing of men and boys in our society.

In my view, men need to stop procrastinating and ignoring their health and undertake checks to ensure that they are aware of where their body is at. The statistics are quite staggering. On average, men live about five years less than our female counterparts (78 years compared to 83 years). Men are more likely to die prematurely. Premature deaths have a significant emotional and economic toll on families and society and, sadly, often are preventable.

The leading causes of premature death among men are heart disease, suicide and lung cancer. Prostate cancer remains the most common cancer among males at 23.4 per cent, followed by colorectal cancer at 14.6 per cent, lung cancer at 11.3 per cent and melanomas at 10.5 per cent. Together these four cancers account for 60 per cent of all registered cancers among males.

Preliminary results from the Florey Adelaide Male Ageing Study, conducted by Professor Gary Wittert from the Discipline of Medicine at the University of Adelaide, reveal that a large number of men are unaware of their health problems. The study clinically examined men aged between 35 and 80 years. It found that 47 per cent had high cholesterol but 14 per cent were unaware of it; 14 per cent had diabetes but 4 per cent of those were unaware of it; 60 per cent had hypertension and a staggering 29 per cent of them were unaware of it; and 18.5 per cent had depression but 6 per cent of them were unaware of it. Alarmingly, the study also found that 78.5 per cent were either overweight or obese, 61 per cent undertake insufficient exercise, and 57 per cent reported some degree of other dysfunction.

I strongly urge men, particularly those aged 40 years and above, to schedule a health check today. Men make only half as many visits to the doctor for prevention compared to women. If not for themselves, men should see their doctor for those who count on them. Men's health is important.

Dr McFetridge: Last week.

Mr PICCOLO: Yes, very good. Men are fathers and dads, husbands and partners, brothers and sons, so they do matter. Healthy men, both physically and emotionally, are important if we are going to have healthy families. We need to gain a better understanding of why men do not access the health system as much as they should. We need to move beyond blaming men for not giving sufficient attention to their health. While Anglo male culture and socialisation are a factor, there are practical reasons why men do not access health services. For example, many health services do not have opening hours that reflect men's working arrangements. We need to start telling men from a very young age that men do matter. They are integral to families, communities and society at large.

Health SA is supporting a range of activities during Men's Health Week, and they are on the health website. South Australian Health also continues to support men's health and issues and this year has supported the following projects:

the Understanding Men's Health Service Needs project under the auspices of the Freemasons Centre for Men's Health;

the Man Alive! Festival; and

the Aboriginal Male Health and Well Being Project Officer.

Also, the health minister has granted sponsorship for the Australasian Men's Health Forum's 9th National Men's Health Conference and supported other activities.

In my own electorate of Light, a local medical practice, Hyde and Partners, is making it easier for men to have a basic health check. Hyde and Partners are promoting Men's Health Week by offering free health checks for existing and new male patients during next week with a practice nurse. The basic health check includes blood pressure, blood glucose level, body mass index, weight and free advice on men's health issues. I hope and trust that men will avail themselves of this opportunity. I think that men need to take more control of their own health. Men's health is important because, in the end, men do matter.

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