Men’s Health Week 2022

Men’s Health Week 2022

HSE encourage Men to accept a Mission during Men’s Health Week 2022

 

Men urged to take action to improve their health

 

Men’s Health Week 2022; The HSE are encouraging men to take action as Men’s Health Week 2022 (MHW) kicks off. The theme for MHW 2022 in Ireland is Mission is Possible’ , and the call to action is ‘The Action Starts With You’ Focusing upon asking everyone (men themselves, service providers and policy makers) to take on realistic and achievable ‘missions’ (tasks, actions, goals and objectives) which will improve men’s health.

In Ireland, Men’s Health Week has grown in popularity over the last number of years, with many organisations and individuals lending their support in order to highlight the different health and wellbeing topics discussed over the week. HSE Health & Wellbeing as a key funder of the  Men’s Health Forum in Ireland , the body that co-ordinates Men’s Health week, are proud to be associated with this initiative.

Running from Monday 13 th June to Sunday 19 th June (Father’s Day), this annual celebration aims to raise awareness of preventable health problems, support men and boys to live healthier lives, and encourage them to seek help or treatment at an early stage. In recent years, a broad range of research has highlighted the challenges which face males in Ireland and further afield.

Many of the key statistics, highlighted in the ‘Men’s Health in Numbers’ publications, show that:

  • Local men continue to die, on average, younger than women do.
  • Poor lifestyles (including smoking, drinking, diet and lack of exercise) are responsible for a large proportion of chronic diseases.
  • Males have higher death rates than women for almost all of the leading causes of death, and at all ages.
  • Men’s mental health needs are often under the radar and remain unmet.
  • Late presentation to health services can lead to a number of problems becoming untreatable.

Speaking on Men’s Health Week Dr Noel Richardson, Health & Wellbeing, HSE and lecturer and Director of healthCORE at IT Carlow says:

“ For me, the key message for Men’s Health Week is that small changes can really make a difference – whether it’s going for a walk, taking time out, re-connecting with a friend. It’s about doing something positive for yourself and building momentum towards positive change, one step at a time.”

Men’s Health Week this year takes place in the context of an easing of the constraints introduced to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Men’s Health Week 2022 seeks to remind and encourage men, what they can do to take back control of our own health and to focus upon small, simple and practical things they can do to improve their health, for example:

  • Read the free Men’s Health Week ‘Man Manual’ at: www.mhfi.org/challenges2022.pdf
  • Find out about the opening hours at their local GP surgery and visit them if they have any concerns regarding their health.
  • Keep physical activity and aim to complete 30 minutes of exercise a day. Check out a range of new HSE exercise videos, suitable for all ages and abilities www.hse.ie/healthandwellbeing .
  • Try eating healthier by introducing more fruit or vegetables into daily meals.
  • Re-connect with family and friends.
  • Join a group or take up a sport.
  • Find a friend to quit smoking with and seek advice on how to stop.
  • Get their blood pressure checked.
  • Reflect on their own mental fitness.

Paul Ferris, Men’s Health Week 2022 Ambassador , ex-professional footballer with Newcastle United, and award winning author, says:

“From my personal experience of living with health and wellbeing issues, I appreciate that men and boys need both opportunities to improve their health, as well as support to do so. Men’s Health Week offers an ideal time to focus our attention upon the needs of males, and to make a positive and meaningful difference to their lives. We all need to commit to realistic missions which will improve both our own health and the health of males generally. Everyone has a part to play in achieving this.”