What we know
What information do we have about the Eastern Board area?
What is the result of this on our health locally?
Policies
What is happening in the Eastern Board area?

We know that the importance of men’s health is becoming increasingly recognised. Men are less likely than women to consult their GP and often rely on wives or partners to do so. Some researchers think that men may regard ill health as a sign of weakness and will not willingly admit to being unwell.

Men have higher mortality rates than women and also a shorter life expectancy. In fact men in Northern Ireland can expect to live to 75.2 years of age, while women can expect to live to 80.1 years. We also know that risk taking in men is greater than in women, leading to higher rates of death from road traffic accidents, especially in young men.

The importance of a healthy lifestyle applies to both men and women. Health promotion campaigns are now emphasising men’s health in a new way. Mental health is also an important aspect of men’s health because of the high rate of suicide among young men in Northern Ireland.

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On Census Day in 2001 there were 665,968 people living in the EHSSB area, 318,628 men and 347,340 women. In 2002, there were 6382 deaths from all causes in residents of the Eastern board area: 2969 males and 3413 females. Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, lung cancer and prostate cancer together accounted for around half of all causes of death in men in the Eastern Board area in 2002. The rates of death from ischaemic heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease and lung cancer in men are all decreasing. Smoking rates in men are also decreasing which should in time lead to a further reduction in cancer rates.

In 2002, in the Eastern Board area, there were a total of 67 deaths from suicide, 53 males and 14 females. In particular parts of Belfast, suicide among young men is becoming a particular area of concern. In the same year, there were 47 deaths from motor vehicle accidents, 35 males and 12 females. This shows that both these causes of death are much more common in males compared to females.

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Lifestyle
Ischaemic heart disease is more common in men than women. The risk of heart disease is increased in those who smoke, are overweight and inactive. Smoking cessation, increased physical activity and reduction in stress are all important lifestyle changes which men are encouraged to make to reduce the risk of heart disease.

According to the 2001 Northern Ireland Health and Wellbeing Survey, binge drinking in Northern Ireland is increasing for both men and women. Educating men about safe alcohol use and avoiding binge drinking should lead to a reduction in alcohol related harm, including accidents, domestic strife and long-term addiction. Interestingly, while smoking is more common among men in lower socio-economic groups, binge drinking occurs in all socio-economic groups.

Cancer
Men are also advised to take responsibility for their bodies in terms of early detection and prevention of cancer. Testicular cancer is a disease of relatively young men, with half of the cases diagnosed in 2001 in men under 33 years of age. Almost 95% of men with testicular cancer are still alive 5 years later. As with almost all cancers, earlier detection leads to a better outcome. Men are therefore advised to regularly check their testes and to consult their GP if they are concerned about any changes that they find.

Cancer of the prostate is, in contrast, a disease of older men with half of the cases being diagnosed above the age of 74 years. Cancer screening has been proposed, but is currently not recommended by the National Screening Committee because the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test is not able to reliably select cases of prostate cancer. It produces too many false alarms and also misses too many genuine cases of the disease. (See the Cancer section of this website for further information).

Sexual health
Good sexual health is an integral part of a health and wellbeing. The number of cases of sexually transmitted infection (STIs) in both men and women is increasing in Northern Ireland and in the Eastern Board. With the production of the teenage pregnancy strategy, young men are being provided with more information and education and both men and women are encouraged to act responsibly to ensure that they do not put themselves or others at risk of disease or unwanted pregnancy through unsafe sexual behaviour.

Mental health and suicide
Mental health in men is negatively affected by discrimination, conflict and violence. Many young men, particularly in deprived areas feel socially isolated, depressed and vulnerable. One in four suicide deaths in Northern Ireland occurs in people under the age of 25. Building self-esteem and developing coping skills, particularly in this age group, is vitally important.

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