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Why Men Don't Heed the Health Warnings Men Are Generally Less Healthy Than Women

Posted on: Monday, 4 July 2005, 09:00 CDT

THE average life expectancy for a Scottish man is 72.6 years. For a woman it is 78.2 years.Why should that be the case? Why are men more reluctant to visit the doctor? And why do they take more risks with their health?

These are some of the questions Morag Gray, head of curriculum development at the faculty of health and life sciences at Napier University, Edinburgh, attempts to answer in her new book, Fundamental Aspects of Men's Health.

ARE MEN SIMPLY PROGRAMMED TO DIE YOUNGER?

No. The consensus among experts is that the issue is societal rather than medical. A 2002 study based on interviews with 525 men in Australia found that men do not take as much interest in their health as women do in theirs.

This lack of bodily awareness results in many not appreciating subtle or even serious bodily changes. By the time men get to the doctor, diseases can often be more advanced.

Women, because of menstruating and bearing children, regularly and naturally consider their health and have more contact with primary health care services. Men never get used to consulting theirGP.

Compared with women, men are also less likely to have social support networks where they can discuss and share health problems with friends.

WHY DO MEN IGNORE THE SYMPTOMS OF ILL HEALTH?

The majority of men are still brought up with the idea that they must be strong and tough, according to the Men's Health Forum. They must behave as if they are indestructible: resistant to disease, unresponsive to pain and unconcerned with minor symptoms.

This "macho" attitude makes it harder formen to look after their health or ask formedical advice. Because of this, many take risks with their health and develop habits which put their wellbeing in danger.

Men also tend to play down their symptoms when they do eventually seekmedical help.

WHY ARE YOUNG MEN PRONE TO TAKE RISKS WITH THEIR HEALTH?

Astudy of more than 1800 American students and their attitudes to health, published in the Journal of Health Psychology in 2002, concluded that by taking risks, young men often feel validated as the "stronger sex", unlikely to fall sick and unconcerned with minor symptoms.

Adolescence and early adulthood is associated with developing risk-taking behaviour such as heavy drinking, smoking and drug abuse. Most young men refuse to seekmedical help, take appropriate sick leave, eat healthily or get enough sleep.

Men known as "sensation-seekers" feel compelled to experience novelty, excitement and danger, regardless of the health effects.

Such men, says Gray, might experiment with drugs such as cocaine, have lax attitudes to their sexual behaviour, drive recklessly (often while drunk) and smoke and drink too much.

WHY DO MEN TEND TO DRINK MORE ALCOHOL AND HAVE POORER DIETS THAN WOMEN?

Astudy of 1040 adults in England in 2000 found that where diet and disease were concerned, women knewmore about the links between diet and good health than men.

Men are less likely to be aware of the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables or to understand the consequences of developing health problems by not eating the recommended daily amount.

Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, unemployment and disadvantage are all known to contribute to the numbers of men who drink heavily.

Some of the key facts Gray has included in her analysis on men's drinking habits have been taken from government figures and research carried out by Alcohol Concern and the Royal College of Physicians in 2003.

Their findings revealed that 21per cent of men binge drink. The figure is only 10per cent among women.

In 2002 the Royal College of Physicians defined a binge drinker as a man who drinks 10 ormore units in a single session or a woman who regularly drinks seven ormore units at a time.

According to the Institute of Alcohol Studies, last year the prevalence of heavy drinking in the 18 to 24-year-old category is also higher in men, with only 17per cent claiming they never binge drink. The figure for young women is 75per cent.

Government research has found that drinking with the deliberate intention to get drunk shows that men need to feel confident in theirmasculinity and among their peers.

Fundamental Aspects of Men's Health by Professor Morag Gray is published by Quay Books.

Source: Herald, The; Glasgow (UK)

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