⛓️‍💥 Breaking the chain of men’s poor health

This week is Men’s Health Awareness Week.

In this article we’ll talk about some key health issues affecting men. This includes prostate cancer, testicular cancer, heart disease, mental health, and healthy living.

Please be aware this article will discuss suicide and the impact on families.

But first, it is worth asking a bigger question:

❤️‍🩹 Why do men continue to have worse health outcomes than women?

Men in the UK do have poorer health outcomes than women. This means they are more likely to die younger, develop serious illness earlier, and spend more years living with ill health.

Men live shorter lives overall. In the North East, a man can expect to live to around 77 years old. Average life expectancy for woman is more than 81 years.

Men are also more likely to die early from some of the most common and serious health conditions.

• Men account for 53% of all cancer cases in the UK.
• Men account for 53% of cancer deaths.
• Around two in three deaths from heart disease are in men.
• Three-quarters of deaths by suicide are men.
• Suicide is the leading cause of death in men under 50.

These figures show a clear pattern. Men are more likely to die early or live with serious illness across several major conditions.

This matters because many of these conditions can be prevented, found earlier, or treated more successfully when help is sought sooner. Every early death affects families, friends, and communities.

❓Why does this happen?

Some of the difference is due to biology, but that only explains part of the gap. Many of the main factors are linked to lifestyle, environment, and behaviour.

Men are more likely to:

• be overweight or obese
• smoke
• drink alcohol at harmful levels
• work in higher-risk jobs
• delay seeking medical help

These factors increase the risk of long-term illness, including cancer, heart disease, and liver disease.

🤔 The problem with waiting

Research shows that men are less likely to use GP services than women. In Gosforth and Jesmond, the GP Patient Survey found that 19% of men had not had a GP appointment in the past 12 months, compared with 9% of women.

Many men also grow up with ideas about “getting on with it” or not making a fuss. These expectations are shaped by culture, work, and long-standing social norms. They are common, and are not a personal failing.

But they can affect health decisions.

Some men are more likely to:

• wait before contacting a GP
• ignore early symptoms
• carry on until symptoms become harder to manage

This delay matters. Many conditions are easier to treat when found early.

Around 1 in 5 cancers in the UK are diagnosed through emergency routes. These cancers are often found at a later stage, when treatment is more complex.

⛓️‍💥 Breaking the chain

The good news is that this chain can be broken.

Small actions can make a real difference to health and life expectancy.

Tap or hover over the cards below to explore key health messages and find trusted support and information.

👣 Small steps matter

There is no single cause of men’s poor health. There is also no single solution.

But small steps add up.

Getting symptoms checked early. Using screening when invited. Stopping smoking. Reducing alcohol. Talking about mental health.

Each step helps break the chain that leads to later diagnosis, more serious illness, and shorter lives.

Men’s Health Week is a reminder that looking after your health is not a sign of weakness.

It is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, and for the people around you.