The South Eastern Health Board is delighted to announce the development of a three year research programme on Men's Health. There is a limited amount of knowledge on men's health needs even though recent reports indicate that men die about six years younger than women do. Men are more likely to suffer accidents, injuries on the road and workplace incidents.
Males have the highest rates of suicide, with suicide being the top cause of death in young men.
Over the past number of years the Health Promotion Department of the South Eastern Health Board began working on Men's Health. It set up a working group in 1999 to review the area of men's health and identify opportunities for development. A conference on men's health was held to highlight issues of concern. The working group is now proposing to undertake a consultation process with men in the SEHB region and to use that research to inform the DoHCs strategic approach to men's health. We welcome the funding from the Health Promotion Unit which will be used to carry out research into this important initiative.