{jcomments off}In an effort to encourage men to turn their words into actions (the theme for Men’s Health Week 2013), the Northern Area Community Networks - in partnership with the Public Health Agency, Zest Healing the Hurt, and a broad range of other health providers - staged five, free, male only events to help men access health services, support and advice.  The evaluation report on this initiative is now available at: www.mhfi.org/NorthernAreaEvaluation.pdf

{jcomments off}Pathways to Health Level 3 is a training programme for community and voluntary sector leaders who are committed to tackling inequalities in health using a community development approach.  This training offers a chance to link grass roots practice with operational, strategic and policy work.  It will provide participants with the opportunity to tackle health inequality in a unified way, underpinned by the principles and practice of community development.  The Pathways to Health training is delivered as a series of master classes, one a fortnight, for 14 weeks.   Each master class focuses on one of six main themes.  For more information, visit: www.cdhn.org/pages/index.asp?title=Pathways_to_Health_Level_3_-_Armagh

{jcomments off}The Men’s Health Forum in England and Wales, working in conjunction with Haringey Man MOT Project, has produced a report titled: ‘A Review of the Literature: Men’s Health-Seeking Behaviour and Use of the Internet’.  Given the scope of the review, health-seeking behaviour was limited to reviewing four key areas, namely: the influence of masculinities; masculine capital; institutional social structures; and communication within medical consultations.  The report can be accessed online at: www.menshealthforum.org.uk/sites/menshealthforum.org.uk/files/Men's_Health_Literature_Review_Dec2013_FINAL.pdf

{jcomments off}Men continue to have a lower life expectancy in most countries compared to women.  Explanations of this gendered health inequality tend to focus upon male risk taking, unhealthy lifestyle choices, and resistance to seeking help from health services.  In the period 2005 - 2008, the Scottish Government funded a nationwide community health promotion programme aimed at improving men’s health.  This was called Well Men Service Pilots (WMS). This paper explores WMS programme users’ perspectives and experiences of health help-seeking.  The results challenge the commonly held notion of men as being disinterested in their health.  Moreover, the respondents were largely ambivalent about the need for gender specific services.  For a copy of this paper, visit: www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/425

{jcomments off}On Thursday 23rd January 2014, Man Matters launched its third Policy Briefing Paper titled 'Fathers, Separation and Co-Parenting' in the Long Gallery at Stormont.  This paper examines key issues relating to fathers who have separated, or are separating, from their children’s mother.  It provides a brief overview of what is known about the effects of separation on men, the benefits to children of having actively involved fathers, fathers’ experiences of separation, how they seek support, and how other countries have approached co-parenting.  You can download a Portable Document Format (PDF) version of this paper at: www.mhfi.org/manmattersbriefing3.pdf

{jcomments off}'Older Men: Demography' is the latest factsheet in the Men in Northern Ireland (MiNI) series.  Men in Northern Ireland is produced by ARK - a joint initiative between Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster.  ARK makes material on the social and political life of Northern Ireland available to the widest audience.  The MiNI series presents key statistics relating to demography, work, health, education, family life and caring responsibilities.  The 'Older Men: Demography' factsheet can be downloaded, for free, at: www.ark.ac.uk/services/MINI9.pdf  This resource collates data from the Census of Population and mid-year population estimates.

{jcomments off}You are invited to the launch of a Briefing Paper on ‘Fathers, Separation and Co-Parenting’.  This will take place on Thursday 23rd January 2014, from 8.30am - 10.30am, in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast.  This paper has been prepared for the Man Matters partnership (WEA NI, Parenting NI, Home-Start NI and the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland) working in collaboration with Family Mediation NI.  All of these organisations have become increasingly aware of the difficulties fathers face when trying to maintain contact with their children after relationships with their partner breakdown.  Therefore, they decided to undertake three pieces of work: research a briefing paper which would outline some of the issues relating to father-child relationships following separation and make recommendations for future action; produce ‘A Father’s Guide’ to parental separation; capture the experience of a range of separated fathers who are seeking to maintain a relationship with their children.  This event will present information from all these areas, and a light breakfast will be provided.  To book a place visit: www.wea-ni.com/seminar   To see a copy of the draft programme visit: www.mhfi.org/separatedfatherslaunch2014.pdf

{jcomments off}Current clinical research has linked HPV (Human Papillomavirus - the world’s most common sexually transmitted infection) to male cancers such as head and neck cancers, anal and penile cancer.  Clinical evidence indicates that correct condom use, in addition to receiving the HPV vaccine, provides the greatest protection from HPV infections.  The researchers in this study are interested in male attitudes and behaviours towards receiving the HPV vaccine and condom use.  Males, who are between the age of 18 and 28 years, are invited to participate in an online survey which should take no longer than 20 minutes to complete.  All responses will be anonymous.  If you are willing to participate, please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DZ5PZG7   The co-investigator in this study is Serena Fitzgerald, a registered general nurse and PhD student from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork.  For further information on this research please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.