Men's health in Australia

Males make up just under half of the total Australian population of 23 million. On average Australian males live to around 78 years of age, with the life expectancy of an Indigenous Australian male in 2009 being around 67 years of age and non indigenous men in remote areas living to around 70. On average female mortality rates are lower than males across the entire age spectrum.

Men's health in Australia encompasses a range of areas, including but not limited to, mental, physical and social well being. Some of the major issues in these areas, impacting men of all ages, are smoking, alcohol, obesity, lack of exercise and prostate cancer. Some of these issues are preventable; however, when not acknowledged they often lead to a restricted lifestyle, prolonged illness or death. Australian males make a substantial contribution to all areas of Australia including paid and unpaid work, in 2009 there were nearly six million males over the age of 15 in paid employment. According to de Vaus, Gray and Stanton $10.3 billion worth of unpaid work, per year, is contributed by men between the ages of 65 and 74 years of age. However, research shows that in many areas of health, Australia's males have poorer outcomes than their female counterparts. Having a population of healthy males is important, not only for each individual but for their family, friends, communities and Australian society as a whole.

In 2007, the Australian government, as part of an election commitment, promised to develop the first 'National Male Health Policy'. The policy was released in 2010 by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHa) and was titled the "National Male Health Policy: Building on the Strengths of Australian Males". This policy uses the World Health Organization's definition of health, which is: "complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity". Added to this, as part of a holistic approach, is the spiritual dimension of health and well being.

The DoHa policy focuses on six key action areas:

Men often have trouble identifying when they may be suffering from a mental health condition. Mental health is an important part of the overall health and wellbeing of males and encompasses a range of differing disorders, each with its own issues. These disorders can impact males in varying ways, from loss of employment, relationship breakdowns, to suicide to name a few. The suicide rate, across all age groups, is higher for males than for females, the median age of men who suicided was 43.8 years of age. Some age groups of men are three times more likely than women to die by suicide and yet women attempt suicide more than men.

The 2007 Survey of Mental Health and Well being in Australia revealed that a mental disorder had been experienced by 48% of Australian males aged 16–85 and about 18%, had an existing mental disorder and had experienced symptoms twelve months prior to the survey.

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