Men's health
In terms of behavioral factors, men are more likely to make unhealthy or risky choices and less likely to seek medical care.
Men may face issues not directly related to their biology, such as gender-differentiated access to medical treatment and other socioeconomic factors.
Men's health also encompasses lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management, as well as access to healthcare and preventative measures.
The value of adopting a gender-sensitive approach to engage and retain men in health promotion interventions has been reported.
Men are more likely than women to engage in over 30 risky behaviors associated with increased morbidity, injury, and mortality.
[23][24][25] Social determinants of men's health involve factors such as greater levels of occupational exposure to physical and chemical hazards than women.
[15] Historically, men had higher work-related stress, which negatively impacted their life expectancy by increasing the risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.
[26] The American Psychological Association says that men are not as likely to report emotional and physical symptoms of stress compared to women.
[26] Mental stress in men is associated with various complications which can affect men's health: high blood pressure and subsequent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality,[27] cardiovascular disease,[28] erectile dysfunction (impotence)[29] and possibly reduced fertility (due to reduced libido and frequency of intercourse).
[31] Higher levels of stress in fathers are associated with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, psychological distress, and fatigue.
[35] Evidence shows that people who consume high amounts of alcohol or use illicit substances are vulnerable to an increased risk of developing mental health problems.
[40] There have been identified gender differences in seeking treatment for mental health and substance abuse disorders between men and women.
[54] In East Asian countries however, the gender gap in suicide rates are relatively smaller, with men to women ratios ranging from 1:1 to 2:1.
[55] Multiple factors exist to explain this gender gap in suicide rates, such as men more frequently completing high mortality actions such as hanging, carbon-monoxide poisoning, and the use of lethal weapons.
[47][60][61] Suicide is complex and cannot simply be attributed to a single cause; however, there are psychological, social, and psychiatric factors to consider.
[33][70] Reluctance to seek help is another prevalent risk factor facing men, stemming from internalized notions of masculinity.
[58][66][71][59] Traditional masculine stereotypes place expectations of strength and stoic, while any indication of vulnerability, such as consulting mental health services, is perceived as weak and emasculating.
[59][72] Identifying warning signs is important for reducing suicide rates worldwide, particularly for men, as distress may be expressed in a manner that is not easily discernable.
