November is Men’s Health Awareness Month!
This month is dedicated to raising awareness of the many health issues men can face in their lifetime, such as:
- Testicular cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Penile cancer
- Mental health issues.
Testicular cancer
- It is estimated that in the UK, 2,400 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in a year.
- Most commonly affects men aged 15-45, and is the most common cancer in men aged 25-49 in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
- 47% diagnosed will be under the age of 35.
- 60 young men lose their lives each year due to this disease.
- However, 98% of men will still be alive 10 years after treatment.
For more information and symptoms of testicular cancer, please visit:
Prostate cancer
- There is an estimated 52,300 new prostate cancer diagnosis in the UK every year, which is more than 140 every day!
- 1 in 6 UK males will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
- Prostate cancer is most common in men aged 75 to 79 years.
- Around 11,500 will die each year as a result of the disease
- 78% of men will still be alive 10 years after treatment.
For more information and symptoms of prostate cancer, please visit:
Penile cancer
- Around 700 men are diagnosed each year in the UK- this is around 2 cases diagnosed each day
- Is more common in men aged 50 or over
- On average, each year only 3 out of 100 (3%) new cases occur in men under 40
- 68% of men will still be alive 10 years after treatment.
For more information and symptoms of penile cancer, please visit:
If you have ANY health concerns, please contact the practice to book an appointment.
Mental health issues
According to Gov.uk:
- Men are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than women
- 1 in 8 men have a common mental health problem
According to the Mental Health Foundation:
- Men aged 40 to 49 have the highest suicide rates in the UK
- Men report lower levels of life satisfaction than women, according to the Government’s national well-being survey
- Men are less likely to access psychological therapies than women… only 36% of referrals to NHS talking therapies are for men
Men are also more likely than women to go missing, sleep rough, become dependent on alcohol and use drugs.
There is always support available if you’re worried about your, or another person’s, mental health.
Shout:
Do you need support? Shout is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Text 85258 or go to shout online for more information.
Samaritans:
If you need help, the Samaritans are there 24/7 to listen.
Call 116 123 or go to Samaritans online for more information.
Respect- men’s advice line:
The helpline for males experiencing domestic abuse.
Go online or call 0808 8010327 to get support.
You can also:
- Call the surgery– ask for an emergency appointment
- Out of hours? Call 111– they will help you find the support and help you need
- Contact your mental health crisis team– if you have one
Is your life in danger?
If you have seriously harmed yourself – for example, by taking a drug overdose – or you feel that you may be about to harm yourself, call 999 for an ambulance or go straight to A&E.
Or ask someone else to call 999 or take you to A&E
