Summit Calls for Government Office to Progress Men's Health

The Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation convened the inaugural Men and Fathers Health Summit at Parliament House, Canberra on Wednesday 17th June 2009. Over 30 delegates attended representing grass roots men’s and father’s groups as well as leading healthcare professionals from all over Australia. (See promo video for Fatherhood Foundation)

Warwick Marsh, from Dads4Kids, said, “Men’s health needs urgent government and community action. It was the unanimous call of the summit that the Government set up an interdepartmental agency to fund and coordinate the soon to be announced Men’s Health Policy. The Summit called on the Government to introduce a positive Men’s Health Policy that recognises the needs and unique contributions than men make to society. This same policy must address the social determinants of men’s health and provide an action plan to address the many factors affecting men and father’s health.”

Health Facts

•    Men die 5 years earlier than women.
•    Indigenous men die 20 years earlier than non-indigenous men.
•    Men commit suicide at 4 times the rate of women.
•    Indigenous men’s suicide rate is 70% higher than non-indigenous men.
•    At almost every level of health statistics men’s health is far worse than women’s.
•    Indigenous men die from diabetes at 500% the rate of non-indigenous men.
•    Indigenous men suffer the poorest health in Australia.

(see Men & Fathers Health Fact Sheet)

To celebrate Men’s Health Week, Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation released, ‘Healthy Men, Healthy Families, Healthy Nation’ which was the combined Men’s Health Policy proposals from all the different Summit delegates.  Healthy Men, Healthy Families, Healthy Nation is an up-to-date synopsis on the state of men’s health and the way forward for the Australian government and community.

Speakers at the Men and Fathers Health Summit and Media Conference included:

Dr Tim O’Neill GP: Medical practitioner and men’s health advocate from Canberra.
Dr Elizabeth Celi: Psychologist, health trainer, public speaker and author from Melbourne.
Professor John Macdonald: University of Western Sydney, President Australian Men’s Health Forum and co-founder International Men’s Health Week, 15-21 June 2009.

The Dads4Kids Fatherhood Foundation congratulated the Rudd Government on its imminent announcement of a National Men’s Health policy. It hoped that the policy proposals coming from the Men and Fathers Health Summit will be taken into account before the final formation of the Men’s Health Policy by Health Minister Nicola Roxon.

More info at the Fatherhood Foundation