Welcome to the Centre for Men's Health
The Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health was established as a joint venture between the University of Adelaide and the Freemasons Foundation in September 2007 with the vision to enable men to live longer, healthier and happier lives. The Centre's approach to men's health is multi-disciplinary involving a team of world-renowned experts collaborating across clinical services, research programs and continuing education on various aspects of men's health. By sharing interests, strengths and resources, this partnership aims to deliver life changing research to benefit all men.
Why Focus on Men's Health?
- Men are more likely to die prematurely
Men are more likely to die prematurely from a wide range of causes - male life expectancy (78 years) is 5 years lower than female life expectancy (83 years). Male deaths are greater across all age groups and the discrepancy begins from infancy. Premature deaths exact a greater emotional and economic toll on families and society and are often preventable. The leading causes of premature death among males are ischaemic heart disease (eg heart attack and angina), suicide, land transport accidents and lung cancer.
- Male burden of disease and injury is great
The total burden of disease and injury (including premature death, ill health and disability) for males in Australia is 10% higher for males than for females. The leading contributors to the total burden of disease and injury for males are ischaemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression, lung cancer and stroke.
Prostate cancer remains the most common cancer among males (23.4%), followed by colorectal cancer (14.6%), lung cancer (11.3%), and melanoma (10.5%). Together these 4 cancers account for 60% of all registered cancers among males.
- Significant burden of undetected disease among men
Preliminary results of the Florey Adelaide Male Ageing Study (FAMAS) reveal a large number of men are unaware of their health problems. Among the study participants aged 35-80 years who attended a clinical exam:
- 47% had high cholesterol, but 14% of them were unaware of it
- 14% had diabetes, but 4.4% of them were unaware of it
- 60% had hypertension, but 29% of them were unaware of it
- 18.5% had depression, but 6% of them were unaware of it.
Equally concerning were the findings that 78.5% were either overweight or obese, 61% got insufficient exercise, and 57% reported some degree of erectile dysfunction.
A focus on men's health does not imply a competition for resources or an attempt to detract in any way from the women's health agenda. Rather, a gender approach to health serves to highlight key biological, social and cultural determinants of health for men and women.
