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Canada
to Adopt Men's Health ProgramFrom Australia
The
Men's Awareness Network (MAN) which began developing programs for men
in Castlemaine Australia back in 1994 and is now Nationally recognised
as the Centre for Advancement of Men's Health (CAMH),
has been invited to develop its Programs in British
Columbia Canada in May. CAMH has led the way in providing innovative
Men's Health Programs across rural Australia from its base at Hepburn
Health Service Daylesford Victoria.
The
first major Men's Health Night, developed by MAN, was held in Castlemaine
a Central Victorian town with a population of 7,000,attracting over 270
men to listen to and discuss the issues of men's health with local GPs
and Community Health Service. This night was a precursor to the popular
Men's Health Night.
Out
of this first night grew the phenomenon of Men's Health Nights. An ABC
TV Documentary focussed on another local town Daylesford, famous for its
Spa Water. The Daylesford Men's Health Night, attracted over 210 men from
a smaller population of only 4,500, featuring in the Beyond Productions
ABC Documentary "The Problem with Men". Bernard Denner, the
founder of the organizations MAN and CAMH and the originator of the MAN
Model of Health Promotion developed the concept of the Night and follow
up men's health programs for Daylesford GP's and the Hepburn Health Service.
The
ABC Documentary led to a surge in Men's Health Nights across rural and
urban Victoria and then across the border into South Australia, Northern
Territory, New South Wales and Central Rural Queensland. This work still
continues today with a focus on providing resources and project management
for Health Services across Australia. The Man Model Program of Men's Health
Promotion has attracted over 9,500 men across Australia in the last 3years
with thousands more attending other alike nights based on the Model.
In
May of this year, a rural health region in the British Columbia Province
of Canada is adopting the MAN Model Health Promotion Program, based on
the success of the CAMH Programs across Australia.
After
a visit to CAMH in April 2000, by the Medical Health Officer from the
North Okanagan Regional Health Service, Canada closely watched the progress
of the Programs and work offered by the Centre.
"Health
promotion programs in Canada have focused on a variety of issues and
target groups including women, children, aboriginal people, visible
minorities, and the economically disadvantaged; but there have been
few programs developed specifically for men. Most people here assume
that men, by virtue of their economic advantages in society, must be
correspondingly healthy. Those of us who look at health statistics know,
however that being male is a risk factor for premature mortality from
infancy through to old age.
There
is increasing recognition of this issue, but little yet in the way of
programming. I was most impressed with what I saw taking place at the
Center for Advancement of Men's Health during my visit to Australia
last year, and was pleased that Bernard Denner expressed an interest
in coming here to help us put men's health on the map. We have established
a partnership with the Rotary clubs to sponsor a series of men's health
nights here and to learn more about the MAN Model during Bernard's visit
to our Region in May. The timing is excellent for us and we are very
excited about this international collaboration with Australia. We'll
do what we can to bring Bernard up to speed on ice hockey before we
send him home," said David Bowering M.D. MHSc., Medical Health
Officer, North Okanagan Health Region British Columbia Canada
Canada's
status of male health is similar to the Australian Health Status figures
for early mortality and morbidity around heart disease, cancer, suicide
and accidents especially for rural males. The rural area of North Okanagan,
where the Program will be developed initially, also finds the Government
unwilling to support men's health, in the same way they support women
and children's health.
"Canada
wants our Program to have the same impact as it has had here in rural
Victoria and across the rest of Australia. They believe we can bring
the same passion and expertise to their country, to influence the
outcomes of men's health for Canadian men and boys, as has been achieved
here, especially in rural Victoria. We will also offer the opportunity
to schools to adopt our Lifeskills Program which helps adolescents
address their risks associated with "growing up" and Health
Practitioners to attend our Understanding and Engaging Men Sessions."
said Bernard Denner.
The
Federal and State Governments here in Australia have been very slow in
recognizing the value of the MAN Model and other Preventative Men's Health
Programs, and the benefits of good health for men and their communities.
It is only recently that Governments have discussed the importance of
developing Men's Health Policy and Strategies to deal with common men's
health issues.
At
the recent 6th National Rural Health Conference held in Canberra a major
recommendation by the Conference Delegates was that:
'The
Conference recommends that the Department of Health and Aged Care (DHAC)
fund research on men's health which draws on the methods and strategies
developed by the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH).
At the same time DHAC continue to provide funding for the ALSWH and
that its results be further promoted. There should also be the development,
within two years, of a National Male Health Policy that encompasses
all Australian males'.
"I
hope that the States and Federal Health Ministers and their Departments
take notice of the overwhelming support of Delegates from the National
Rural Health Conference and the peak body National Rural Health Alliance
for male health reforms and initiatives. The recommendation also had
the support of the Women's Health Study from Newcastle University. A
National Male Health Policy is urgently needed in order to meet the
challenge and to address and understand male issues for all Australian
males," said Bernard Denner.
We
hope to send the same message to Canadian Health Authorities and the
Government of the importance of good health for all men and the value
to families.
"Limited
funds are available for Men's Health but organizations interested in
tackling the issues of men's health in the community are frustrated
by the lack of money. This may be, in part, due to the lack of real
Policy by Governments that provides the structure for health funding
and without Policy, Governments cannot fund properly." Said Bernard
Denner
"With
the support of Rotary in the North Okanagan Region and the foresight
of Dr Bowering and the work of his team I hope that men turn up to the
Men's Health Nights to demonstrate their interest in their health and
wellbeing. We may then be able to encourage a greater participation
by men to their health as we have achieved here in Australia. It will
also send a message to Health Authorities that men are interested in
their health, we just need to provide them with the better opportunities
to deal with their issues." Said Mr Denner
The
Men's Health Nights first conducted in Central Rural Victoria Australia
has impacted across Australia and hopefully will impact across Canada.
"Who said men were not interested in their health. You just need
to give them the opportunity in a way that is comfortable for them."
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