Men's Health Week: Raising awareness of health issues men face

Men’s Health Week gives us an opportunity to shine a spotlight on health topics that affect men, raise awareness of certain health issues, and provide links to where men can find more information about these problems, especially if they have concerns about the topic highlighted.

Earlier this year, Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust worked with Healthwatch Torbay to find out what men thought about their health, and what information they felt would help them manage their personal health better. You can read the full report at healthwatchtorbay.org.uk

An unfortunate statistic in the UK is that women on average live four years longer than men, with women living to an average age of 82.7 years and men 78.7 years, due to their lifestyle choices and health behaviours.

Eighty one per cent of the men who took part in the Healthwatch survey wanted more information about male-specific conditions, such as prostate cancer. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits just below the bladder, and as men age the prostate tends to increase in size.

Symptoms such as difficulty starting to pass urine, dribbling when you finish urinating or needing to urinate more at night may simply be due to an enlarged prostate but it is worth getting it checked out. Further information can be found on the NHS and Prostate Cancer UK websites.

Sixty five per cent of the men who responded expressed that the most difficult problem they would find to discuss would be erectile dysfunction. This is where a man is unable to get an erection or to keep an erection for long enough to have sex, and is believed to affect around 10 per cent of the male population of the UK.

It is understandable that men may find this an awkward topic to discuss, but there are medical reasons why this problem might occur. Causes of erectile dysfunction include high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and hormone problems. If this is a problem that you or a loved one is experiencing, then it is worth speaking to your GP about it.

Further information can be found on NHS.uk or menshealthforum.org.uk

Finally, when considering physical health issues, 77 per cent of the respondents expressed that have never been shown how to carry out a testicular examination or explained what to look out for.

Most testicles are the same size but it’s common for one to be slightly bigger than the other. It’s also common for one testicle to hang lower than the other. They should feel smooth without any lumps or bumps, and firm but not hard. If you experience a lump, swelling, pain or discomfort in the scrotum or testicles, you should seek further advice. Visit nhs.uk or itsinthebag.org.uk for more details.

It is also important that we mention mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and the effects of social isolation.

This was a very common topic in survey responses, with people feeling both that more information was required and that it remains a difficult topic to discuss openly.

In Torbay and South Devon, mental health services are supported by our excellent local NHS’ Talkworks service – talkworks.dpt.nhs.uk service which offers support to people experiencing low mood, anxious thoughts or who may just not be feeling themselves.

However, if you feel you are in crisis and need urgent assistance then call Devon Partnership NHS Trust’s first response service: urgent mental health helpline on 0808 196 8708.

We would like to thank the men of Torbay and South Devon who responded to our online survey, hosted by Healthwatch Torbay and Devon. The information collected gives us a clearer understanding of what men in our local area want from their health service providers, and this is informing our future planning and initiatives during the coming months.