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Reproductive Health Matters
An international journal on sexual and reproductive health and rights
Volume 23, 2015 - Issue 45: Knowledge, evidence, practice and power
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Round Up

Need to close the men’s health gap for health equity

This commentary identifies policy targets and interventions that could address the largely ignored gender-based disparity in health, in which men tend to have worse health and lower life expectancy. In general, men’s multiple advantages do not translate into better health outcomes, in part because of notions of masculinity and the highly gendered nature of employment. These gender disparities are not properly addressed in the health policies and programmes of the major global health institutions. Only three countries – Australia, Brazil and Ireland – have adopted national, male-centred strategies. Three key targets of public and policy action should be schools, where stereotypes about masculinity can be challenged, the workplace and provision of health services and health promotion for marginalised men, men from minority populations, men in prison populations and men who have sex with men. WHO’s Regional Office for Europe has made a bold commitment to address gendered health inequalities but it is unclear what actions the office has taken to date or is planning for the future. The European Commission published a comprehensive report on men’s health in Europe in 2011 but noaction plan based on its findings has been produced.1

1. Baker P, Dworkin SL, Tong S, et al. The men’s health gap: men must be included in the global health equity agenda. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2014;92:618-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.13.132795.

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