Men in Ireland are dying too young of causes that are largely preventable. That’s according to new findings from the Real Face of Men’s Health report launched on Monday, which revealed that two in five (40.2%) of all male deaths were premature and that men are 40% more likely to die prematurely than women, across each of the five leading causes.
Men living in the most deprived areas in Ireland were 150% more likely to die before the age of 75 than those living in the least deprived areas. Health economic analysis for the report also reveals that the five leading causes of years of life lost among Irish men cost over €1 billion in 2023 alone, €716 million which could have been prevented.
The report, produced in partnership with the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland and the National Centre for Men’s Health (SETU) calls for cross Government support to expedite the roll out of the National Men’s Health Action Plan throughout Ireland. The report is a first of its kind to examine the reality of men’s health in Ireland today.
It details the barriers for men accessing healthcare, the wider impact of men’s ill health, beyond the individual, extending to partners, families and communities as well as the economic costs to the country. It is informed by a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Irish adults plus almost 1,000 caregivers and clinicians combined.
GPs said that the two biggest barriers to addressing men’s health issues were a lack of time and men’s reluctance to discuss sensitive topics. Fewer than one in three GPs (29%) felt they had a very good understanding of men’s health. When it came to men specifically addressing mental health concerns, GPs cited stigma, social norms around self-reliance, lack of support networks and fear of career impact as barriers to proactively seeking support.
Mental health remains a critical concern. Men account for four in every five suicides (79%), and over nine in ten GPs (97%) encountered men presenting with suicide or suicidal ideation in the past year. On average GPs reported seeing 15 male patients per year presenting with suicidal behaviour with most cases in the 18-34-year-old and 35-54 age group. The report highlights the ripple effect of men’s ill-health showing the impact goes beyond the individual, impacting families and communities.
Six in ten (60%) carers of men – the majority women, reported a decline in their own mental health; 68% said there was an impact on personal energy, and over six in ten (65%) experienced frequent worry and anxiety because of caring responsibilities. Eight in ten carers (80%) said that the barriers they faced negatively affected the quality of care they are able to provide.
New research by HealthLumen estimates the costs of the five causes of the largest number of years of life lost to ill health for men in Ireland – coronary heart disease; stroke; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; lung cancer; and suicide. This means that if all these preventable health issues had been avoided in men, Ireland could have potentially saved a total of €716 million in 2023 alone.
The report calls on the Government to recognise the need to progress the National Men’s Health Action Plan 2024-2028 with a number of recommendations, including investing an initial €10m in the plan, in tandem with commissioning a full cost analysis, and prioritising the development of a cross-Government Policy Statement on Men’s Health.
Men’s health is a unifying issue among the public with three quarters of Irish adults (75%) expressing concern around the current state of men’s health, in particular suicide (75%), loneliness (70%) and men’s mental health challenges (62%).
Over six in ten adults (62%) believe young men are struggling to find purpose in society compared to previous generations. Three in five Irish dads (61%) also indicated they don’t feel supported within their roles and that there is a lack of understanding and support for men as part of the fatherhood journey.
‘Put simply, Irish men are dying too young from preventable causes, and too many are living with poor health. Three quarters of the Irish public share this concern,’ said Sarah Ouellette, Movember Country Manager.
‘There is also growing apprehension for the wellbeing of younger men with over half of Irish adults believing young men are growing increasingly disconnected from society and face greater difficulty in finding their place and purpose.
‘We can see from the report, the huge unease around men’s mental health, with two in five believing that men’s mental health is getting worse while latest available figures show that four in five suicides are male, while worryingly suicide remains the leading cause of death among young men aged 15 to 29.
‘Men’s health is not only about men – it’s about families, carers, and society as a whole. We know that with earlier interventions, screening, and gender-responsive healthcare, we can respond to the challenges facing men’s health and bring about positive change.
‘We are calling on the Government to commit to the ambitions of the National Men’s Health Action Plan and invest an initial €10 million to progress it. Investment in men’s health is not only for the benefit of men but for the whole of society.’
Lead author of the report, Dr Noel Richardson, Director, National Centre for Men’s Health, South-East Technological Universit, says that the research has ramifications for overall health care in this country.
‘It makes a compelling case that men’s health matters and that improving men’s health benefits not just men but has important ripple effects for women’s and children’s health and for wider communities. Most importantly, the report can be a catalyst for positive change in men’s lives by appealing to men to protect their most valuable asset – their health.’
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