{jcomments off}The Southern Area Men’s Health Steering Group invites you to ‘Men and the Five Ways to Wellbeing’.  This will take place on Friday 7th March 2014, in Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre, Newry, Co. Down.  The aim of this free seminar is to increase awareness of the Five Ways to Wellbeing as a tool to improve men’s health.  The event will begin at 9.30am and finish with lunch at 1.00pm.  For more information and a booking form visit: www.mhfi.org/SAMH2014.pdf

{jcomments off}Parental separation is a painful process for most people.  It is common for fathers to feel shocked, lonely, sad or angry because the relationship with their partner has ended and they may be living apart from their children.  This short leaflet (produced by Man Matters) offers practical information, advice and signposting to dads both during and after a family separation.  Copies can be downloaded at: www.mhfi.org/ManMattersFathersGuide.pdf

{jcomments off}HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is very common, and most men and women get HPV at some time in their lives.  HPV usually never causes any health problems but, for some people, infection with HPV can lead to the development of certain cancers (cervical, vulval, vaginal, penile, anal, head and neck) as well as genital warts.  About 5% of all cancers are caused by HPV infection.  HPV vaccination at the age of 12/13 can significantly reduce the risk of developing disease, and vaccinating both sexes provides the highest level of protection.  Currently, in the UK, only girls are vaccinated through a national programme, which is generally delivered in schools.  This online petition calls upon the UK government to consider including boys in the vaccination programme.  The petition has been organised by HPV Action - a partnership of 25 patient and professional organisations who all believe that both boys and girls should be vaccinated.  Find out more at www.hpvaction.org/what-you-can-do.html

{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