Brandon Leonard
Men’s Health Network
~~~~
Oklahoma Men’s Health Symposium
October 2, 2015
OUR MISSION
Reach men and their families
where they live, work, play, and
pray with health awareness
messages and tools, screening
programs, educational materials,
advocacy opportunities, and
patient navigation.
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
Men’s Health – Not Just a Man’s Issue
• Women are most often the health care leaders of their
families
• Women have taken the lead in advocating for better health
care for themselves…and their loved ones
• By educating themselves about potential male health
problems, women can pass on potentially life-saving
information to their brothers, fathers, husbands and sons
• Women play a critical role in encouraging the men in their
lives to seek preventive care, pay attention to their bodies
and start or maintain healthy habits
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MEN’S HEALTH WEEK and MONTH
• June is Men’s Health Month
• Started with National Men’s Health Week
Created by Congress in 1994
Signed into law by President Clinton
Week ending on Father’s Day
• International Men’s Health Week
• Provide resources for individuals to create
their own awareness events during the
month
www.MensHealthMonth.org
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
ADVANCES SINCE 1994
From 1994 to 2010…
• The life expectancy gap between women and men dropped
from 6.6 to 4.8 years, while life expectancy increased for
both
• Cancer mortality rates decreased for both men and
women, while the gender gap narrowed
• Cardiovascular disease mortality rates dropped for both
men and women, with the gender gap decreasing
• Dramatic improvements for black men, who had highest
rates of death from CVD and cancer
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
2015 MEN’S HEALTH MONTH & WEEK
• Recognition from key leaders in Congress
• Proclamations from nearly every state and over 60
cities
• Recognition and blog posts from key thought leaders
in HHS
• “Wear Blue” days celebrated at hundreds of
workplaces, including federal agencies
• Community-led men’s health events across the
country
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
POLICY AND MEN’S HEALTH
Congressional Men’s Health Caucus
• Educational briefings
• Building champions for Men’s Health
• Prostate Cancer Task Force
APHA Men’s Health Caucus
• Build support and awareness in broader public health
community
• Showcase research and programs in men’s health
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
POLICY AND MEN’S HEALTH
Dialogue on Men’s Health
• Public and private sector groups working together on
strategies
• Facilitating collaboration inside and outside the federal
government
• White papers to guide programs and policies
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
POLICY AND MEN’S HEALTH
Goals moving forward:
• Establish a federal Office of Men’s Health
• Formally put the Office of Indian Men’s Health and Office of
Indian Women’s Health in place
• Reform benefits systems to improve eligibility for lowincome men
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MEN’S HEALTH OUTREACH
Campaigns and Awareness Periods
• Men’s Health Month/Week (June)
• Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (September)
• Movember/No-Shave November
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MEN’S HEALTH OUTREACH
Community Health Programs and Events
• Men’s Health University and Men’s Health Symposium
(Integris, OK)
• Phoebe Sumter Men’s Health Conference (Phoebe Putney,
GA)
• Men’s Health Center (City of Milwaukee, WI)
• Tennessee Men’s Health Summit (MHN)
• Hundreds of community events nationwide, in June and
throughout the year
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MHN AWARENESS ACTIVITIES
• Men at Work
• Healthy Sunday
• Collaborations with Sports Teams
• Men’s Health Month
• Community Partnerships
• Awareness Campaigns
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
LIFE EXPECTANY AT BIRTH (2010)
85
All
80
Black
75
Hispanic
White
70
65
Male
Female
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
STATE OF MEN’S HEALTH
½
Men are half as likely to see a health care
provider for a physical exam as women
Men are more likely to be uninsured than
women
9
OUT OF
10
Men are dying at higher rates for 9 out of the
top 10 causes of death
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
TOP CAUSES OF DEATH
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
At birth there are 105 boys for every
100 girls
By age 34, there are more women
than there are men
And in early retirement years (65-69),
there are 85 men for every 100
women. More than half of elderly
women living in poverty were not
poor before their husbands died.
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
COSTS OF POOR HEALTH FOR MEN
A 2011 MHN analysis found that premature death and morbidity of
men costs:
• $152 billion annually to local, state and federal governments
• $156 billion annually to U.S. employers and society in direct
medical payments and lost productivity
• $181 billion annually in decreased quality of life
That’s $489 billion…
And we’re only talking about the cost of the gap
between men’s and women’s health!
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
COSTS OF POOR HEALTH FOR MEN
On a more personal level, the costs of premature death and morbidity for
men are also huge. Consider…
• The wedding, graduation or birthday that a father won’t live to attend
• The birth of a grandchild that a man won’t live to see
• The loss of financial control from a major illness detected too late
• The inability to provide for your family
• The loss of mobility that makes vacations and leisure time less
enjoyable – or even impossible
• The emotional impact of losing a colleague or friend
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
STATE OF MEN’S HEALTH: OKLAHOMA
Snapshot:
• Life Expectancy at Birth
• Female – 78.5
• Male – 73.3
• Suicide Rate: 4.4 x higher in males
• Each year, approximately 2,570 Oklahoma men will be
diagnosed with prostate cancer and 370 will die from the
disease
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
BIG ISSUES TO TACKLE
• Men and incarceration
• Men and access to healthcare
• Men and prevention
• Men and mental health
• Boys and schools
• Fatherhood and involvement with children
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
WHAT’S NEXT?
• Encourage teaching men’s health
• Men’s health focus in professional societies
• Plan your own events
• MHN can help
• Be a part of the movement
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
IMPORTANT WEBSITES
Men's Health Network
Men’s Health Resource Center
www.MensHealthNetwork.org
www.MensHealthResourceCenter.com
Wear Blue for Men’s Health
Prostate Health Guide
www.WearBlueForMen.com
www.ProstateHealthGuide.com
Talking About Men’s Health
Men’s Health Library
www.TalkingAboutMensHealth.com
www.MensHealthLibrary.com
Men’s Health Month
Other important Internet resources
www.MensHealthMonth.org
www.hhs.gov www.cdc.gov www.nih.gov
www.cancer.org
State of Men’s Health
www.StateOfMensHealth.com
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
For more information on these and other health problems
which affect men, consult with a healthcare provider or
contact the Men’s Health Network.
www.menshealthnetwork.org
[email protected]
MensHealthNetwork
PO Box 75972
Washington, DC 20013
202-543-MHN-1 ext 101
@MensHlthNetwork
MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK