First Congress on Men's Health

Men's Health Conference: „The main thing is the car is healthy!“

25/01/2013

While women go to the doctor regularly, many men still believe today, „a real guy“ Seeking no help, reports the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) on the occasion of the first congress on men's health in Germany next Tuesday in Berlin. The own health plays in the lives of many men until today hardly a role. „The body has to work like a machine - is the credo of many men“, so the BZgA communication.

With the first Men's Health Congress, the Federal Center for Health Education and the Federal Ministry of Health want the special „Discuss the challenge and future prospects of men's health.“ For this purpose experts from all relevant areas of men's health and health promotion are invited. Through the Congress on Men's Health, the experts also hope to achieve greater public awareness of the topic and „the development of male-specific strategies in the field of health promotion and prevention“ to support.

Men go to the doctor less often
Men go in this country much less often to the doctor than women, reports the BZgA ... So would „For example, offers of health promotion and prevention are perceived significantly more often by women.“ Overall, men live according to the BZgA communication „riskier than women“ and wise „a lower health awareness“ on. They smoke more often, drink more alcohol and increasingly suffer from obesity. The willingness to take part in preventive examinations (for example, cancer prevention), however, is much lower in men than in women. The first Men's Health Congress should now help to remedy this malady. Here, the experts also hope to find new approaches for differentiated access routes and concepts in order to reach the men.

Men do not know the fuel consumption of their car but their own cholesterol levels
As part of the first Men's Health Congress, the renowned sports scientist Professor Dr. med. Ingo Froböse of the Center for Health of the German Sport University Cologne about „The questionable movement behavior of men“ lecture. „The main thing is the car is healthy“, the expert pointed out the subject of men's health. Because about 90 percent of men knew the average fuel consumption of their car and 80 percent could even specify the displacement, „but only 30 percent know their cholesterol“, says Prof. Froböse. In addition, the sports physician described men as a real precautionary pauper, who even at the time of pain and injury initially clench his teeth rather than go to the doctor. To have „Women a problem, go to the doctor after three to four days, men only after 14 days“, Prof. Froböse continues. Without acute health complaints to visit a doctor's office, come to the least men in mind, although the cost of an annual health check from 35 years of age would be borne by the statutory health insurance.

Trend towards the health market for men
The Federal Center for Health Education, however, sees a clear trend towards „Health market“ for men. Here is currently increasingly trying to bring more or less meaningful health services to the man. However, significant differences in the quality of the offers can be seen. Also „the range of information available on the Internet on the subject of men's health is increasing, but it is hardly possible to differentiate reliable specialist information from offers with undeclared health benefits“, so the message of the BZgA. Here there is a considerable need for a neutral information offer, as it offers, for example, since February 2012, the men's health portals of the BZgA (http://www.maennergesundheitsportal.de).

Growing information on the subject of men's health
Overall, the subject of men's health in the opinion of the experts in the public discussion long time was too short. It was only in 2010 that the first German Men's Health Report was published by the Men's Health Foundation and the German Society for Men and Health, while the first women's health report was prepared in 2001. However, the specific risks and behaviors of men are now relatively well discussed. However, appropriately adapted concepts for health promotion and disease prevention in men are lacking. For example, according to the latest data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), men are more likely to be overweight than women (60 percent of men vs. 44 percent of women), and more likely to drink too much alcohol (about 30 percent versus 20) Percent) and smoking (34 percent versus 26 percent). However, specially adapted approaches to improving men's health have until recently been the absolute exception. Not without reason is the average life expectancy of men about five years lower than that of women.

Men's Health Congress to network the experts
Meanwhile, a variety of institutions have adopted the topic of men's health. That too „Men's Health Portal“ The BZgA has been offering online information on male-specific topics such as urological disorders, alcohol consumption, sports or paternity for almost a year. With the first Men's Health Congress, the BZgA and the Federal Ministry of Health are breaking new ground here in order to better network the stakeholders and to develop new approaches to disease prevention and health promotion in men. Men should be motivated to independently do more for their health. For the time being, however, men's health will become significant „Challenge for prevention and health promotion“ as the title of the first Men's Health Congress makes clear. (Fp)

Also read about men's health:
Immune defense in winter no men topic
Cosmetic Surgery: Twice as many men
Men take greater risks in sports

Picture credits: Oliver Weber