Men’s knowledge of health matters is often poor, and there is very little health information specifically aimed at adolescent boys and young men. Attending a general practice surgery can be difficult for many men, and they often find it male unfriendly. Men may also be deterred from using new services like NHS Direct and walk-in centres because they are led by nurses.
Men who do see a general practitioner receive significantly less of a doctor’s time than women do, says the author. Even the nature of medical school and medical training may contribute to potential problems in consultations between male doctors and patients.
Uptake of health information and health services can be improved by making them male friendly, anonymous, and more convenient, says the author. The Men’s Health Forum seeks a fundamental change in areas such as school education, placing health on the national curriculum, and awareness of gender when structuring health policies. Without these changes, the NHS will effectively remain a no man’s land, he concludes.
No man’s land: men, illness, and the NHS BMJ Volume 323, pp 1058-60