Government to set up men’s health policy

The Federal Government will spend $460,000 on a national suicide prevention strategy, as part of a focus to improve men’s health.

In what the government says is the first ever national men’s health policy, it recognises that men often have poorer health than women, are likely to die earlier, and are more likely to commit suicide.

The funding will be spent in four areas – $122,000 for a men’s health information and resource centre at the University of Western Sydney, and $80,000 will go to the Toowoomba Older Men’s Network.

Another $150,000 will be used in a workplace program called OzHelp Tasmania, and $117,000 will go towards INCOLink, a Victorian program aimed at preventing suicide for apprentices in the building industry.

A further $95,000 will go towards a GP campaign to encourage men to see their doctor for preventative health checks.

Figures released by the health minister’s office show men are expected to live 4.8 years less than women, and are three times more likely to commit suicide than women.

They also experience 70% of the burden of disease related to injury and are over-represented in HIV/AIDS related deaths.

Indigenous men’s health is significantly worse than non-Indigenous Australian males, with average life expectancy of just 59 years, 20 years less than non-Indigenous men.