Men’s Health Matters: The Movember Movement

Just like the women were oppressed for centuries together, the story of men is no exception. While women have been the primary victims of gender-based oppression, men have also been subjected to unfair and unrealistic expectations that have caused them physical and psychological harm.

From a young age, boys come across statements like, “Be a Boy!”, “Real Men Don’t Cry”, “Boys Don’t Play with Dolls”, etc. They are taught that crying is a sign of weakness and that they should be tough and unemotional. These gender stereotypes have created a culture where men are expected to be dominant and aggressive, while any display of vulnerability is seen as a sign of weakness.

This toxic culture has had a profound impact on men’s health, leading to high rates of cancer, lifestyle diseases, depression, anxiety, and suicide cases. Men are often reluctant to go to the doctor and get proper treatment due to the fear of being seen as weak. According to a new national survey by Cleveland Clinic, around 77% of men would rather go shopping with their wives or significant others than go to the doctor. Also, the survey revealed the fact that 72% of men would rather do household chores, like cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn, than go to the doctor.

Hence, the movement called ‘Movember’ was initiated to encourage men to speak up about their health issues, share their experiences, and seek appropriate cancer treatment.

Movember Movement and its History

Movember is an annual event that takes place in November and is dedicated to raising awareness about men’s health issues. As per the Movember website, the movement was started in 2003 in Melbourne, Australia, when two friends, Travis Garone and Luke Slattery, decided to bring back the moustache as a fashion trend. Hence, the name Movember is a blend of mo (short of moustache) and November, the month in which participants grow a moustache to raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems.

They recruited 30 other men to join them and donated the money they raised to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Since then, Movember has partnered with various organizations and foundations worldwide to fund over 1200 projects on men’s health.

Indian Men and Their Health Issues

Health is a vital aspect of life that affects one’s well-being, happiness, and productivity. However, many Indian men do not pay enough attention to their health and often neglect the signs and symptoms of various diseases. The main reason behind this is that many Indian men are unaware of the risk factors, prevention and treatment of certain diseases that affect them.

Also, many of them are conditioned by society to be strong, stoic and tough. Hence, they feel ashamed to talk about their health problems and seek help from others. Moreover, Indian men may prioritize their family and work responsibilities over their own health and well-being.

As per the report by the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are more prevalent among men in India than women. The prevalence of NCDs among men is 119 per 1,000 male population, while for women it is 113 per 1,000 female population.

Let’s look into the data of some diseases which are more prevalent among men than women:

Cardiovascular Diseases:

According to the Indian Heart Health Association, 50 per cent of all heart attacks in India occur in men under the age of 50, while 25 per cent of heart attacks occur in men under the age of 40. Men are a bit more vulnerable than women to cardiovascular diseases.

Mental Health Problems:

According to an ETimes Lifestyle Poll, 39 per cent of people feel that men don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health issues. Out of all the participants, almost 40 percent of people said they don’t want to talk about it because ‘they don’t want to appear weak and vulnerable’.

The rate of suicide among Indian men is 2.5 times that among women, shows an analysis by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS, Deonar).

Prostate Cancer:

Along with cardiac and mental health conditions, one of the major health concerns is prostate cancer. Globally, prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and a sixth leading cause of cancer death in men. According to Globocan, 2018, there were 25,696 new cases and 17,184 deaths due to prostate cancer in India. The incidence rates of this cancer are constantly and rapidly increasing in India. As per one of the researchers, prostate cancer incidence is expected to increase by over 47,000 cases by 2025.

Conclusion:

Families and society need to encourage men to prioritize their health and seek medical attention when necessary. This can be done by creating awareness about the importance of regular check-ups, providing emotional support and promoting healthy lifestyle choices.

At Shalby Hospitals, we understand the importance of early detection and prevention of diseases. Our comprehensive PSA (Prostate Antigen) Clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and experienced professionals who can provide expert advice and guidance. We believe that every man deserves access to quality healthcare and we are committed to providing the best possible care to our patients.