Age Matters: Exploring Correlates of Self-Rated Health Across Four Generations of Australian Males

Abstract

The importance of addressing health disparities experienced by boys and men reached tangible prominence in Australia with adoption of the 2010 National Male Health Policy and the establishment of a national longitudinal study on male health—Ten to Men. Ten to Men is based on a holistic model of health with a strong focus on social determinants and health and well-being over the life course. Given the life course focus, we set out to assess if health-related characteristics and the correlates of self-rated health differ across the life course among four sociologically defined generations of Australian males. While some differences in the correlates of good or excellent health were observed across generations, addressing obesity and depression appear to be important for improving the health of Australian males of all ages.

Keywords:

• boys
• males
• self-rated health
• generations
• age

Funding

The research on which this paper is based was conducted as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health by the University of Melbourne. We are grateful to the Australian Government Department of Health for funding and to the boys and men who provided survey data.