Strategy shines a spotlight on men’s health

Healthy life expectancy for men has reduced by one and a half years in the last decade – one of the factors that has prompted the Government to publish the first Men’s Health Strategy for England

The strategy highlights stark inequalities in men’s health. Men in the most deprived areas die 10 years earlier and live nearly 19 fewer years in good health, on average, than those in the wealthiest areas. There are also ‘alarming’ racial and ethnic inequalities with, for example, deaths from diabetes and cardiovascular disease being typically highest among South Asian men

Describing the strategy document as a ‘call to action’, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: ‘Our strategy is designed to encourage men to take charge of their physical health and mental wellbeing. First, by expanding access to support services; second, by helping them to take better care of themselves; and third, by ensuring stigma is challenged and every man feels empowered to reach out for help.’

Cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes all have a disproportionate impact on men’s health. Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death for men under 50, with men accounting for 3 out of 4 people who died by suicide in 2024. Men are also more likely than women to die as young adults, particularly from accidents, violence, and overdoses. Some differences can be seen in childhood too – boys have higher rates than girls of infant mortality and more frequent A&E attendances for 0 to 4 year olds.

The strategy sets out six ‘levers’ to improve men’s health:

• Improving access to healthcare services
• Supporting individual behaviours
• Developing healthy living and working conditions
• Fostering strong social, community and family networks
• Addressing societal norms
• Tackling health challenges and conditions

The strategy aims to ensure that men and boys have the best possible health outcomes, contributing to our overarching ambition to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy, while increasing it (life expectancy) overall, and raising ‘the healthiest generation ever’.