Men's health: How to do it

Abstract

This work includes Foreword by Ian Banks - President, Men's Health Forum. Traditionally, men have been seen as reluctant to access health services, but getting men to engage with their health isn't an impossible task once you're equipped with a few tricks of the trade. This concise, easy to read guide offers a no-nonsense, practical approach to the development and implementation of men's health programmes. Based on years of wide-ranging experience, the book is designed for anyone who is involved in service delivery for men and boys, and demonstrates what can be achieved with adequate resources, a flexible approach and a sound understanding of men's needs. It is ideal for all healthcare professionals and managers, and medicine and nursing students undertaking specialist men's health and health promotion courses. It is also of great interest to teachers and youth leaders, including school nurses. Healthcare policy makers and shapers will find it enlightening reading. 'This book is for anyone who wants to find out how to successfully set up and deliver health services aimed at men and boys. Traditionally, men have been seen as reluctant to access health services, but getting men to engage with their health isn't an impossible task once you're equipped with a few tricks of the trade. Although this is primarily intended to be a practical guide, much of the book will also be of interest to academics, policy makers and managers. It demonstrates what can be achieved with adequate resources, a flexible approach and a sound understanding of men's needs.' - David Conrad and Alan White, in the Preface. 'As an issue men's health is plagued by myth, ignorance and inequality, but most of all by a lack of solid research based on evidence-based work with men themselves. Lofty academics pontificate endlessly on the meaning of 'masculinity' yet never get their invariably white Caucasian, middle class hands dirty on what really impacts on Y chromosome owners. The Bradford team didn't just wonder about masculinity and scratch male pattern baldness, they did something measurable about men's health and ethnicity so other workers could use their evidence base to actually change the dreadful health status quo. An excellent and unique "Dirty Hands Manual".' - Ian Banks, in the Foreword.