Call for evidence outcome

Men's Health Strategy for England call for evidence: summary report

Updated 19 November 2025

This report contains content that some readers may find upsetting, such as anonymised, personal testimonies of men’s health experiences, including topics on suicide and suicide prevention.

Executive summary

In April 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched a 12-week call for evidence to inform England’s first men’s health strategy. 

In total we received 6,591 responses, of which:

• 5,909 were from individuals sharing their personal views
• 323 were from health or social care professionals
• 71 were from academics
• 288 were from organisations

Individuals and health and social care professionals from London were significantly underrepresented compared to the overall response, with those from the East of England, North West England and Yorkshire and the Humber also slightly underrepresented.

In total, 90% of individuals responding to the survey wanted to respond as a man sharing their lived experience. Overall, men from minority ethnic groups, as well as men aged between 16 and 44, were underrepresented in the responses.

Priority topics

All respondents were asked to select from a list which topics they considered to be the most important for the men’s health strategy to address.

Overall, the 5 most commonly reported topics were:

• cancers typically affecting men (such as prostate, testicular and penile cancer) (56%)
• mental health (including stress and anxiety) (46%)
• access to services (44%)
• suicide prevention (27%)
• health screening services (24%)

Improving access to healthcare services

In total, 54% of men sharing their lived experience told us that there had been a time in the last 3 years where they have not sought medical help for a health concern. The most commonly selected reasons for not seeking help were:

• limited availability of services or waiting lists (43%)
• avoiding dealing with the issue (37%)
• feeling like the health concern didn’t require medical attention (29%)

Organisations and professionals also highlighted a range of individual, cultural, societal and system-level barriers to accessing services.

The role of men’s health screening and health checks arose as a common theme, with organisations and professionals noting that some groups of men face inequalities in access to screening.

Specific questions were asked relating to men’s health literacy. Men reported lower levels of health literacy when considering mental health and were less likely to say that advice and guidance on mental health appealed to them, compared to advice on their physical health. Men generally felt that information, advice and guidance around sexual health and sexual health services was not accessible or did not appeal to them.

Respondents provided a range of suggestions on how the health system can respond to men’s needs. Addressing health inequalities and individual health needs was a strong theme. Insights were collected on how men’s health outcomes could be improved by:

• awareness campaigns
• gender-responsive interventions
• healthcare professional training
• investment

Supporting individual behaviours 

In their written evidence, organisations and professionals identified various reasons why men are more likely to engage in certain unhealthy behaviours. They noted the significant impact of individual factors and inequalities on men’s health behaviours, with harmful behaviours more prevalent among certain groups of men. The impact of gender, social and cultural norms, and the accessibility and normalisation of harmful health behaviours were also prominent themes.

Through the call for evidence, we were interested to know how men and boys can be supported to engage in healthier behaviours. Many suggestions centred around the role of education and regulation. Specific barriers and suggestions to improve outcomes were also received around diet and exercise, gambling harms and healthy relationships.

Developing healthy living and working conditions 

In total, 67% of men sharing their lived experience told us that their health conditions or disabilities impact their experience in the workplace either a little (50%) or a lot (16%). The impacts most selected by men were:

• increasing stress levels (68%)
• impacting mental health (65%)
• impacting productivity (65%)

Respondents provided a range of suggestions as to how to better support men with health conditions in the workplace. These included:

• improved workplace policies to encourage a healthy workplace culture
• training for managers
• safe spaces
• normalising conversations around men’s health

Fostering strong social, community and family networks 

The role of community support and men’s groups arose as a strong theme throughout the responses. Written responses from the public highlighted improving individual, peer-to-peer and professional community support for men and boys. In written evidence, organisations and professionals also highlighted the important role of the voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in supporting men.

Greater support for fathers also arose as a strong theme, which included recognising that fatherhood is a significant life event.

Addressing societal norms

Improving societal views and expectations of men arose as a common theme in the responses received from the public. This included recognising the diversity and influence of norms on health and the pressure that men face. Stigma around men’s health and in accessing healthcare services also appeared as a strong theme.

Organisations and professionals also noted the impact of cultural, gender and societal norms on seeking help and engagement with health, and highlighted the role of society in tackling this.

Tackling health challenges and conditions

There was a range of suggestions around how to improve outcomes for health challenges and health conditions that affect men. A significant number of responses touched on the need to improve the support available to men for their mental health and around suicide prevention. Further support required around cancer, cardiovascular disease and sexual and reproductive health were also common themes.

Other findings

We asked organisations, health and social care professionals and academics providing written evidence to highlight gaps in research and data relating to the themes of the call for evidence. A number of gaps were highlighted relating to the 6 sections of the report. Respondents also made suggestions relating to the development of the strategy itself.

Next steps

As well as considering emerging findings from the call for evidence in the development of the men’s health strategy, the evidence collected will inform future policy on men’s health. We will continue to refer back to what we have heard to ensure that future action to improve men’s health takes account of the views, experiences and evidence gathered. We also hope that these findings will help policymakers, service providers, health and social care professionals, academics, businesses and organisations maximise the impact of their work to support men.

We recognise that the survey responses are not reflective of all men that the strategy will seek to serve and that there is an association between the groups underrepresented in this report and health inequalities. The findings from the call for evidence will therefore be supplemented by a series of focus groups with diverse groups of men, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and in collaboration with the King’s Fund and the University of York. The findings of this research are expected in March 2026 and will be used to inform future policy on men’s health.

Introduction

In April 2025, DHSC launched a 12-week call for evidence to inform England’s first ever men’s health strategy.

The call for evidence was designed as a survey and sought the views of:

• the public
• health and social care professionals
• academics
• employers and organisations

Rather than a formal consultation on specific proposals, this was a request for ideas and evidence that the government could use to inform the strategy and future work on men’s health. This report summarises what we heard from the over 6,500 members of the public and organisations that responded.

Our approach to analysing the results is set out in the methodology section of this report and is followed by a summary of the characteristics of individuals and organisations who responded.

We then explore the results of the survey under 6 levers to improve men’s health:

• improving access to healthcare services
• supporting individual behaviours
• developing healthy living and working conditions
• fostering strong social, community and family networks
• addressing societal norms
• tackling health challenges and conditions

The report also highlights suggestions for development of the men’s health strategy and gaps in research and evidence.

Methodology

In this section we provide:

• an overview of the ways in which individuals, professionals and organisations could respond to our call for evidence
• how we processed and analysed the data
• points to consider when interpreting the results

Format

Respondents were asked to respond to the call for evidence through an online survey. A British Sign Language translation and easy read version of the survey were also available for individuals. We then created a single data set for our analysis, which incorporated the easy read responses where the question text and response options were the same as, or substantially similar to, the standard version. Respondents could also complete the easy read version by paper and return this to DHSC by post, but no responses were received using this method.

Following early stakeholder engagement and work to understand the current evidence base, the survey was designed to seek views on topics considered most relevant to men’s health and where further evidence is needed to inform future policy. The types of questions asked are described briefly below and set out in more detail on the original call for evidence document.

At the outset of the survey, respondents were asked to classify themselves into one of 4 categories and were presented with different questions depending on the category they chose. The categories were:

• an individual sharing their personal views
• a health or social care professional
• an academic
• on behalf of an organisation (such as a local authority, employer, research institution, charitable organisation or a social care provider)

All respondents were asked questions on:

• topics they felt were most important to be addressed within the strategy
• healthy behaviours
• health and work
• men’s access to, engagement with and experience of healthcare services

Those who wanted to respond to the survey as individuals were also asked whether they would like to respond as a man sharing their lived experience. The survey explained that if they would like to respond in this capacity, they would be asked additional questions about their:

• personal characteristics
• health literacy
• health conditions
• experiences of their health conditions at work, if relevant
• experiences of care

This process was included to ensure that collection of personal data was limited to only the essential information required for informing future policy on men’s health. Throughout the report, we refer to the questions that were only asked to men sharing their lived experiences.

The survey included closed, tick-box-style questions, as well as open-ended questions where respondents could write detailed comments.

Organisations, health and social care professionals and academics were able to submit written evidence under 4 themes:

• understanding and identifying areas where we can improve support for healthier behaviours
• improving outcomes for health conditions that typically, disproportionately or differently affect men
• men’s access, engagement and experience of the health service
• further evidence

For each theme, we asked those submitting written evidence to refer to sex-related health inequalities in their response where possible and to identify any gaps in research and evidence.

Data cleaning

The survey was only open to individuals aged 16 and over who live in England, and organisations who are based in, or provide services in, England. This was due to data protection reasons, and because healthcare is a devolved matter. These criteria meant that 394 responses were not eligible for inclusion in our analysis.

When analysing the written evidence from organisations and professionals, we sought to exclude submissions where:

• there were duplicates (some organisations had submitted multiple copies of the same submission)
• evidence was not provided in a written format (such as a series of links to other documents)
• evidence was not specific to men and boys

We set a 10-page limit for each submission. Where individual written submissions were over this limit, the 10 pages of the document considered to be most relevant were identified and analysed.

Analysis

All analysis was undertaken within DHSC. For most of the open-ended questions to individuals, health and social care professionals and academics, we had a sufficient sample size to use a topic-modelling and tagging analysis approach using the software package ‘R’. This approach identified common word clusters, which departmental staff reviewed alongside a sample of representative quotes, to determine an appropriate label for each theme. These individual labels were then categorised into a higher-level theme. This approach was quality-assured by a social researcher.

One open-ended question did not receive enough responses for this method to be used effectively and was therefore analysed manually using a thematic analysis approach.

In the report, we refer to responses from individuals, health and social care professionals and academics as written responses from the public.

Written evidence submitted by organisations, health and social care professionals and academics was thematically analysed manually by departmental staff. For each of the survey’s 4 overarching themes, departmental staff were asked to identify and code barriers, facilitators and evidence gaps within the data. These codes were then brought together into broader themes and sub-themes. In the report, we refer to this as written evidence shared by organisations and professionals.

Caveats

When reading this report, it is important to note the following caveats:

• the results only reflect those who responded to our call for evidence. As this sample was not wholly representative of the populations of interest, these results cannot be taken to represent the views of all individuals, health and social care professionals, academics and organisations
• we recognise that in some cases there may be alternative views on certain issues, and the inclusion of these does not mean they follow clinical guidelines or are endorsed or accepted by DHSC, NHS England or wider government
• due to the breadth and depth of issues reflected in our call for evidence, this report has summarised the main themes from the responses that were received
• throughout this report, we quote a selection of anonymised comments that represent and give further insight into the themes that emerged from our analysis. Where comments have been shortened, the omitted text is represented by an ellipsis in square brackets ‘[…]’. Care was taken to ensure this did not misrepresent what the respondent told us or their tone of voice. Spelling and grammar errors have been corrected where the intended word or words in question were obvious. Where this involved modifying words, this is indicated by square brackets. No other changes have been made

Respondent characteristics

The following section sets out the details of those who responded to the call for evidence. Where the percentage of respondents is provided in the data tables, this is only reflective of respondents who answered the question.

Where data is available, we compare the characteristics of respondents to the proportion of people with these characteristics in England. This can help us understand how representative the views and experiences shared are likely to be. However, the survey was only open to those aged 16 and over, which may limit the comparisons that can be made. Percentages provided in the tables are rounded to the nearest whole number and therefore may not add up to 100.

Small sample numbers have been labelled ‘c’ to prevent possible identification.

Overview of all respondents

Most respondents (90%) to the call for evidence were individuals sharing their personal views.

Table 1: types of respondents to the call for evidence

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
An individual sharing their personal views	5,909	90%
A health or social care professional	323	5%
An academic	71	1%
On behalf of an organisation (such as a local authority, employer, research institution, charitable organisation or a social care provider)	288	4%
Total	6,591	100%

In total, 16 responses were received from individuals sharing their personal views through the easy read version of the survey.

The breakdown of respondents listed here varies in subsequent tables due to minor irregularities in the route that some respondents followed within the survey (for example, returning back to a previous question and selecting a different answer). All answers were included in these instances.

Sex and gender identity

Sex and gender identity questions were asked for those responding as individuals and health and social care professionals. The majority (92%) responding to this call were male.

Table 2: sex of individuals and health and social care professionals

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Male	5,704	92%
Female	506	8%
Prefer not to say	22	Less than 1%

Table 3: gender identity of individuals and health and social care professionals

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Gender identity same as sex registered at birth	6,184	99.2%
Gender identity different to sex registered at birth	20	0.3%
Prefer not to say	28	0.4%

Location in England

We asked individuals and health and social care professionals which region of England they live in. Individuals and health and social care professionals from London were significantly underrepresented, with those from the East of England, North West England and Yorkshire and the Humber also slightly underrepresented.

Table 4: location in England of individuals and health and social care professionals

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents	Percentage of England population  living in location
East Midlands	528	8%	9%
East of England	514	8%	11%
London	516	8%	15%
North East England	278	4%	5%
North West England	692	11%	13%
South East England	1,178	19%	16%
South West England	754	12%	10%
West Midlands	660	11%	11%
Yorkshire and the Humber	513	8%	10%
Prefer not to say	21	Less than 1%	Not applicable

Comparative population data is taken from the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) population estimates for regions (former government office regions) by sex, mid-2023.

Characteristics of men sharing their lived experience

In total, 90% of individuals responding to the survey wanted to respond as a man sharing their lived experience. The additional demographic information we collected about these men is set out below.

Age

In total, 79% of men sharing their lived experience were aged 45 to 84 (table 5). Overall, men aged between 16 and 44 were underrepresented in the responses.

Table 5: age of men sharing their lived experience

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents	Percentage of England population with characteristic
16 to 24	134	3%	14%
25 to 34	391	7%	17%
35 to 44	586	11%	16%
45 to 54	780	15%	16%
55 to 64	1,176	22%	16%
65 to 74	1,635	31%	12%
75 to 84	585	11%	8%
85 to 94	34	1%	Not available
95 or above	c	c	Not available
Prefer not to say	c	c	Not available

Comparative population data taken from ONS’s population estimates for regions (former government office regions) by sex, mid-2023. Data is not available for all breakdowns listed here.

Ethnicity

94% of men sharing their lived experience told us that they belong to a white ethnic group, meaning this group were overrepresented within the survey. Overall, men from minority ethnic groups were underrepresented but there were some differences between these groups.

Table 6: ethnicity of men sharing their lived experience

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents	Percentage of England   with characteristic
White	4,998	94%	83%
Asian or Asian British	136	3%	9%
Black, African, Caribbean or Black British	61	1%	4%
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups	65	1%	2%
Other ethnic group	29	1%	2%
Prefer not to say	42	1%	Not applicable

Comparative population data is taken from ONS’ ethnic group by age and sex in England and Wales.

Sexual orientation

Table 7: sexual orientation of men sharing their lived experience

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents	Percentage of population with characteristic
Bisexual	162	3.0%	0.8%
Gay or lesbian	339	6.4%	2.0%
Heterosexual or straight	4,758	89.3%	89.6%
Other	12	0.2%	0.3%
Prefer not to say	60	1.1%	7.3%

Comparative population data is taken from ONS’s sexual orientation (9 categories) by sex, England and Wales: Census 2021.

Health conditions

In total, 65% of men sharing their lived experience told us that they have a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expected to last 12 months or more.

Of these respondents:

• 54% said their condition or illness reduces their ability to carry out day-to-day activities a little
• 19% said their condition or illness reduces their ability to carry out day-to-day activities a lot

We also asked men sharing their lived experience if there are any other conditions or disabilities that they currently live with.

Overall, the most commonly reported conditions were:

• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• musculoskeletal conditions (including arthritis)
• anxiety disorders and stress
• erectile dysfunction
• high cholesterol

A significant proportion of men also reported having multiple conditions.

Employment status and industry

We asked men sharing their lived experience about their employment status (table 8) and if they are in work, what industry they work in (table 9). Just over half of those responding told us they were in work.

Table 8: employment status of men sharing their lived experience

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
In work	2,742	51%
Not in work and not actively looking or available for work	2,252	42%
Not in work but actively looking for work	149	3%
Prefer not to say	188	4%

The most commonly reported industries for men currently in work  were:

• professional, scientific and technical activities (14%)
• human health and social work activities (13%)
• manufacturing (10%)

Table 9: industry of men currently in work who are sharing their lived experience

Industry	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Accommodation and food services	55	2%
Administrative and support services	112	4%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	39	1%
Arts and entertainment	30	1%
Construction	142	5%
Education	236	9%
Financial and insurance activities	171	6%
Human health and social work activities	348	13%
Information and communication	269	10%
Manufacturing	277	10%
Mining, energy and water supply	34	1%
Professional, scientific and technical activities	385	14%
Public admin and defence or social security	245	9%
Real estate activities	32	1%
Retail	44	2%
Third sector	35	1%
Transportation and storage	105	4%
Wholesale, retail and repair of motor vehicles	91	3%
Other industry	66	2%
Social housing (local authority)	c	c
Prefer not to say	c	c

Health and social care professionals

We asked those responding to the survey as a health and social care professional what type of professional they are. The most common type of respondents were:

• nurse (other health care) (15%)
• allied health professional (12%)
• doctor (general practitioner) (10%)

Table 10: types of health and social care professionals responding

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Nurse (other health care)	49	15%
Allied health professional (such as speech and language therapist, occupational therapist or physiotherapist)	39	12%
Doctor (general practitioner)	32	10%
Counsellor or psychotherapist	29	9%
Public health practitioner or specialist	28	9%
Administrative or managerial	22	7%
Other healthcare role	22	7%
Other social care role	15	5%
Doctor (in another speciality other than general practice)	13	4%
Healthcare assistant or clinical support worker	10	3%
Nurse (general practice)	8	2%
Social worker (adult)	7	2%
Community services or education related	6	2%
Doctor (resident)	6	2%
Social worker (children and families)	6	2%
Nurse (district or community)	5	2%
Paramedic	5	2%
Care worker or senior care worker	c	c
Community pharmacist	c	c
Health visitor	c	c
Hospital pharmacist	c	c
Not a health and social care role	c	c
Midwife	c	c
Nurse (social care)	c	c
Psychological professional	c	c
Social care provider manager, including registered managers	c	c
Prefer not to say	6	2%

Types of organisational respondents

Most organisational responses were received from:

• not-for-profit organisations (60%)
• businesses (16%)
• public sector bodies (15%)

Table 11: types of organisations responding

Group	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Not for profit organisation	176	60%
Business	48	16%
Public sector body	43	15%
Membership body	12	4%
Academic institution	9	3%
Other	6	2%

Priority topics

All respondents were asked to select which topics from a long list they considered to be the most important for the men’s health strategy to address.

Overall, the 5 most commonly reported topics were:

• cancers typically affecting men (such as prostate, testicular and penile cancer) (56%)
• mental health (including stress and anxiety) (46%)
• access to services (44%)
• suicide prevention (27%)
• health screening services (24%)

We noted some trends among certain groups of men, including that:

• men aged 16 to 54 were most likely to select mental health as a priority to be addressed, whereas men aged 55 and over were most likely to select cancers typically affecting men
• White, Black, African, Caribbean or Black British men were most likely to select cancers typically affecting men as a priority to be addressed, whereas men from an Asian, Asian British, Mixed or multiple ethnic background were most likely to select mental health. However, counts for ethnic groups other than White were very small so these patterns may not be representative
• men from all regions were most likely to select cancers typically affecting men. In total, 52% of men living in London selected mental health, which was higher than all other regions, ranging from 36% to 47%

Other popular topics included:

• dementia (19%)
• heart disease and stroke (19%)
• loneliness (17%)
• conditions that affect joints, bones and muscles (such as arthritis) (17%)

Improving access to healthcare services

This section summarises views on how to ensure that men trust and engage with health services and are supported to access healthcare as early as possible when they need it. It also covers views on men’s experiences of healthcare services and how this could be improved.

Barriers to access

In total, 54% of men sharing their lived experience told us that there had been a time in the last 3 years where they have not sought medical help for a health concern. This was for any health concern where they would have benefitted from seeking help from a healthcare professional.

Table 12: barriers for men not accessing healthcare services

Barrier	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Limited availability of services or waiting lists	1,243	43%
Avoiding dealing with the issue	1,050	37%
Felt like the health concern didn’t require medical attention	826	29%
Negative experience with a health service or professional	647	23%
Inconvenient appointment times	645	22%
Not clear where to go to seek help or not clear what services were available	553	19%
Lack of specific services for men	551	19%
Societal expectations about how ‘men like them’ should behave about their health	461	16%
Felt uncomfortable or too personal to discuss with a medical professional	458	16%
Fear of diagnosis, treatment or mortality	435	15%
Distrust of medical professionals or treatments	419	15%
Anxiety of medical settings	331	12%
Fear of having to disclose a health condition to my family, friends and/or employer	318	11%
Unable to take time off work to attend appointment	304	11%
Cost related concerns	248	9%
Lack of awareness of having a health issue	195	7%
Preference for alternative therapy or self-treatment	137	5%
Lack of transport or distance to services	108	4%
Hearing, speech or language difficulties	45	2%
Prefer not to say	34	1%
Not signed up with a GP	24	1%
Not wanting to burden or waste NHS time	24	1%
Issues with appointment system (such as access to the NHS App)	11	Less than 1%
No issue	c	c
Other	50	1%

Organisations and professionals highlighted a range of individual, cultural, societal and system-level barriers to accessing services, including those listed above.

Additional individual-level barriers included:

• lack of trust in the health system, which can be linked to discrimination
• perceived barriers to access
• embarrassment or fear of being judged

They also noted a tendency for some men to not engage until crisis point.

Additional system-level barriers included:

• service eligibility criteria, fragmented health services and a lack of continuity
• financial and practical barriers to engaging with the health system, including the barriers posed by work, such as being unable to access appointments during working hours. This issue may be more pronounced among low-income men and those managing existing ill health or comorbidities, contributing to further health inequalities
• services not being tailored to men’s needs or preferences, and a lack of specific support for men and their health issues, including for specific groups. For example, healthcare environments may not feel welcoming or comfortable for men. This also includes having more male healthcare staff and training other healthcare staff around men’s needs

Written evidence from organisations and professionals highlighted health inequalities in access to and experience of healthcare services, noting that certain groups of men face particular barriers. This is discussed further below.

The impact of cultural, gender and societal norms on men’s health and as a barrier to seeking help is discussed in the section on societal norms. The role of health literacy as both a barrier and enabler to engagement in health and health services is discussed below.

Health literacy

In total, 7% of respondents selected health literacy as a topic to be prioritised within the strategy.

There is some evidence to suggest that men have lower levels of health literacy than women. Low health literacy is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes, for example, individuals with lower health literacy make less use of preventive services. In the survey, we asked men sharing their lived experience specific questions about their health literacy and how appealing they found health information.

Of those who responded:

• 29% agreed that information about healthcare services is clear, accessible and relevant to men like them
• 39% disagreed
• 33% neither agreed nor disagreed

Figure 1: health literacy responses regarding physical health

Statement	Agreed	Disagreed	Neither agreed nor disagreed
I know where to get medical advice if I have a physical health concern	78%	10%	12%
I am aware of the steps I can take to look after my physical health	80%	6%	14%
Advice and guidance on looking after my physical health is clear, accessible and relevant to men like me	42%	27%	31%

Figure 2: health literacy responses regarding mental health

Statement	Agreed	Disagreed	Neither agreed nor disagreed
I know where I can seek support if I have a mental health concern	37%	39%	25%
I know where I can seek support if I’m at the point of mental health crisis	32%	45%	23%
I am aware of the steps I can take to look after my mental health and wellbeing	46%	26%	28%
Advice and guidance on looking after my mental health and wellbeing is clear, accessible and relevant to men like me	20%	47%	32%

Figure 3: health literacy responses regarding sexual health

Statement	Agreed	Disagreed	Neither agreed nor disagreed
I feel that information about sexual health services is clear, accessible and relevant to men like me	27%	32%	41%
Advice and guidance on sexual health is clear, accessible and relevant to men like me	26%	31%	43%

Education and health literacy appeared as a strong theme in relation to both accessing services and healthy behaviours. For example, regarding ways to make it easier for men and boys to engage in healthier behaviours, respondents said:

Education in schools around mental health wellbeing and positive, open, communicative male role models […].

– man, aged 55 to 64

Education through school on where to go to access services should you need them. A more streamlined website would be useful to direct you to the specialists in your area for the specific issue you have. GPs are fantastic people who do their best but having to jump through so many hoops and wait so long for a GP appointment for them to then refer you somewhere else and then to refer you to a specialist just snowballs waiting times and compounds the issue.

– man, aged 16 to 24

Organisations and professionals also highlighted the importance of improving health literacy in men to encourage earlier identification, improve understanding about how to look after their health and promote help-seeking. Examples included that:

• there is low health literacy in men around risk factors, symptoms of health conditions, health behaviours and engagement with the health system, which can lead to late presentation and poor health outcomes
• men may minimise the severity of symptoms and not link the contribution of unhealthy behaviours to ill health
• men may have less understanding of:
  • available services
  • their treatment options
  • how the health system works and how to navigate it
• a lack of emotional literacy can contribute to men not recognising the symptoms of poor mental health or being able to articulate their challenges
• low health literacy is especially prevalent among men from certain groups, such as those from ethnic minorities, lower income groups and older men
• there is a lack of engagement with existing or generic health promotion efforts
• there is a lack of health information and education tailored to men’s needs, including online, and there is a need for diverse and targeted prevention campaigns, education and signposting
• a ‘life course’ approach is needed in older age groups - continued education about health is necessary into older adulthood as conditions and needs change for individuals
• there is the growing challenge of misinformation and informal routes by which men access information and advice about their health, including harmful content

The group I was involved in was a charity for testicular cancer which went to schools to educate young men on how to check for it […] it is one of the most important for young men to understand and what to do if they find an anomaly.

– man, aged 16 to 24

Experiences of healthcare services

In total, 86% of men who declared existing health conditions or disabilities had received NHS healthcare for this in the last 3 years. Of these:

• 60% of men rated their experience as good
• 23% of men rated their experience as average
• 16% of men rated their experience as bad
• fewer than 1% did not answer

When asked what has been good about their experience, we identified the following themes:

• times when respondents have felt listened to and cared for by healthcare professionals
• interactions with professional, kind and empathetic staff who are understanding
• excellent cancer care, with a high quality of care and treatment services
• being contacted by the GP to take part in a screening programme or for cancer screening as respondents were able to see the benefit in taking part

Having been to my local GP for check-ups they have then taken good care of me above and beyond my expectations. Also, I’ve received government health checks due to my age

– man, aged 75 to 84

I have annual health checks and discussions with professionals at my local surgery. I receive advice and medication to support concerns. I am happy in the belief that I know how and where I can get assistance if I need it.

– man, aged 65 to 74

Some organisations also highlighted poor experiences of care for men and the need for effective and empathetic treatment.

Opportunities to improve access to healthcare services

We asked for views on how men’s experiences of healthcare services could be improved. Suggestions from the public included:

• improving access to services including by addressing waiting times. This includes access to:
  • face-to-face GP appointments
  • primary care
  • high-quality diagnostic testing
  • talking therapies
  • secondary care
  • referrals to professional help and support
• improved quality of follow up and management of long-term conditions
• ensuring prompt care and good treatment when needed, with options for self-referral to specialists and healthcare providers
• ensuring easier access to male-friendly services or services specifically for men, particularly those that provide flexibility in the ways that men can engage. For example, improving out-of-hours care to enable access outside of men’s working hours
• employing more male health professionals and providing tailored support for men’s health conditions
• offering regular check-up appointments to monitor major conditions in men, such as prostate cancer
• taking a ‘life course’ approach that considers diversity and intersecting characteristics to improve health behaviours and prevent social isolation (such as age, occupation, ethnicity and region)
• taking a holistic approach and considering all conditions affecting the patient to ensure successful overall treatment
• improving communication and listening more to patients and across healthcare providers. Examples of challenges included secondary care staff being unable to access GP records, or specific tests or investigations that were requested but results were not followed up or shared with patients

Organisations and professionals also highlighted opportunities such as:

• improving the design of services to ensure they are effective, accessible and appealing to men and providing men with choice in how and where services are accessed, such as:
  • details on the timing and location of services
  • increasing digital literacy and the use of digital tools to improve access
  • developing local services to increase reach and accessibility
  • ensuring men have autonomy and flexibility for their support and treatment
  • providing clearer information on what is expected and involved from services to increase engagement
• including boys and men with lived experience in the design of services and materials
• focusing on the workforce and increasing the number of men in the health sector and the delivery of services, such as male receptionists
• the need to take a whole systems approach to improve access and experiences of healthcare, with improved information sharing and referrals processes across systems, and consideration of the appropriateness of support where issues may be complex
• improving prevention efforts and co-ordination of healthcare services, by bringing support services alongside each other (such as for alcohol, substance misuse and gambling)
• using holistic approaches for certain conditions such as screening for gambling addiction during mental health consultations and recommending lifestyle changes such as physical activity as a part of treatment
• providing integrated and collaborative services, and considering community and peer support programmes to play a part in supporting and delivering services and providing a role for patient organisations
• prioritising prevention and early intervention services, such as screening and offering opportunistic health checks, in addition to services that diagnose and support cardiovascular conditions. For example, undertaking proactive case finding for higher-risk population groups
• delivering services in everyday, familiar environments to increase uptake, such as community health services, and for pharmacies to offer a wider range of screening services and support for men. Focus should also be given to improving at-home testing services
• ensuring services take a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to delivery and offer better identification and support for male victims of violence, domestic abuse and sexual assault
• creating the ability for people to provide feedback on services

Health inequalities

Addressing health inequalities and individual health needs among men was also highlighted as a strong theme in the responses. Health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population and between different groups within society. Inclusion health can be used to describe people who are socially excluded and who typically may experience multiple overlapping risk factors for poor health such as poverty, violence and complex trauma.

Responses from the public included making healthcare services more inclusive to all men and ensuring that they are available and accessible for men in marginalised groups, such as those who are in prison or who are homeless.

[…] We need a targeted approach in low economic areas where those with the most likelihood of substance misuse or poorer health outcomes are considered and represented. I appreciate this does not come without its challenge but there does appear to be health inequality for men in general but in particular, men from a lower [socioeconomic] background.

– man, aged 35 to 44

In their written evidence, organisations and professionals highlighted:

• inequalities in access to services, experiences and outcomes among certain groups
• the lack of tailored services for specific groups at high risk of poor outcomes
• recognising that social determinants of health such as housing, poverty, education and employment can increase the prevalence of harmful behaviours and the need to address the social determinants of health that influence men’s health outcomes
• ensuring services consider the needs of boys and men with protected characteristics and for local issues to be addressed by services to address health inequalities
• consideration of equity of services that are delivered, which recognise the needs of men

There was a focus on:

• racial inequalities
• male victims of sexual and domestic abuse
• perpetrators of domestic abuse
• men with co-occurring mental health and alcohol or substance abuse issues
• gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (GBMSM), typically in relation to sexual health

Other groups mentioned included:

• neurodiverse men and boys
• prisoners and individuals leaving the criminal justice system
• armed forces and veterans
• Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
• socially isolated men

Screening and health checks

Men’s health screening and health checks arose as a common theme. Responses received from members of the public highlighted the need to:

• improve the prevention and early detection of male health conditions and provide more targeted information on the process and testing of various health conditions
• offer male-specific healthcare services that provide regular health checks and monitoring
• increase social prescribing services and use informal settings for health checks
• provide greater awareness of signs and symptoms for male cancers such as prostate and testicular cancer

Better access to planned health checks at regular age milestones for prevention.

– man, aged 65 to 74

Greater emphasis on men needing to have regular health checks.

– man, aged 65 to 74

Organisations and professionals highlighted the need to prioritise prevention and early-intervention services, such as screening. They also noted screening gaps for male-specific issues, such as sexual health and prostate cancer. They also noted that some groups of men face inequalities in access to screening. This includes:

• men who don’t speak English and are unable to read supporting information
• men with disabilities, for example where home screening test instructions are not accessible
• older men who may experience practical issues that prevent them from being able to take a screening sample at home
• men from Black and ethnic minorities who are more likely to be diagnosed later and have poorer health outcomes

Awareness campaigns  

Awareness campaigns arose as a strong theme within the responses. Members of the public suggested that media messaging and campaigns could be used to reach men.

Women are great at talking to each other about their health, men are not, and so initiatives are needed to encourage awareness and sharing.

– man, aged 65 to 74

This theme was also noted among the written evidence received from organisations and professionals. Points included:

• understanding the differences in communication methods that may appeal to men, including variations in younger and older generations, which is important for delivering targeted campaigns and support
• developing messaging in partnership with the target audience and using behavioural change techniques to maximise effectiveness
• using public awareness campaigns that have been developed to target men in a culturally inclusive way
• using novel approaches and delivering these in locations and through media channels used by men
• raising awareness in ways that might appeal to men such as by focusing on male dominated activities, by adding humour to messaging or using well known figures and advocates
• running regular public health campaigns that consider targeting and tackling stigma
• delivering campaigns for health screening conditions to support earlier diagnoses
• normalising men accessing healthcare with clear health messaging and introducing awareness and education about male-specific health issues from an early age to get ahead of the issues facing men throughout their lives

Gender responsive interventions 

Gender responsive interventions are policies or programmes that recognise how gender norms, roles and relations shape men’s and women’s health behaviours, risks and access to care. They aim to improve health outcomes by addressing the social and cultural factors that influence wellbeing and by ensuring equity across genders.

To build our understanding of gender responsive interventions, we asked men sharing their lived experience whether they had taken part in a health initiative designed especially for them and if so, the reasons for doing so. We provided examples of a work-place wellbeing programme, a sports-based mental health group or a weight management programme. Only 10% of men sharing their lived experience said that they had taken part in a health initiative designed especially for men.

For those who did take part, they gave various reasons for doing so, including:

• easily being able to access programmes that had been advertised and promoted to them, such as workplace initiatives, health checks or community-based services
• finding services that were private, convenient and provided at no cost to be more appealing
• encouragement from family, friends or the community, and being motivated to act as a form of self-help and to take health concerns seriously
• having a family history of increased risk or relatives with a certain health condition
• prevention and early intervention, which can help men to feel better, or as part of a screening programme, such as for certain cancers
• specific personal experiences related to a bereavement, mental health concern, suicide or domestic and sexual abuse requiring specialist support services
• contributing to research or a clinical trial, raising awareness and improving knowledge about certain conditions, while leading by example and helping others to make a difference
• having a known health condition
• the services being tailored to their age
• accessing support or referrals for interventions related to exercise, diet and weight loss programmes
• having peer support, friendship and an opportunity to build social connections while having fun
• deciding to try something new as an alternative when previous support was deemed to not be working

[…] When I was diagnosed with non-obstructive azoospermia, there were barely any resources for men. I felt invisible. No one was talking about how it affects your sense of identity, your relationships, or your mental health. And I realised that if I was feeling this way, I couldn’t be the only one. So, I got involved to break that silence. To be the person I wish I had when I was going through it. It wasn’t just about raising awareness, it was about creating space. Space for real conversations, for community, and for men to reclaim their role in reproductive health without shame or stigma.

– man, aged 35 to 44

I feel support groups for men are not promoted enough, they tend to be more by word of mouth rather than via GP or other groups. For example, in my local GP practice there are plenty of adverts for elderly groups, women’s groups, new parents etc but I can’t recall ever seeing anything for men specifically.

– man, aged 25 to 34

Organisations and professionals also highlighted the need for male only services in certain areas, for example around suicide prevention and mental health.

Training and education for healthcare professionals

In total, 5% of respondents selected training and education for healthcare professionals as a topic to be prioritised in the strategy.

We recognise that the experiences of people accessing healthcare services can often be influenced by the knowledge, skills and behaviours of healthcare staff. Learning from international strategies, alongside insights gained from stakeholders, suggested that it is important to understand how well healthcare professionals are equipped to respond to men’s health issues.

We asked health and social care professionals whether they feel they have the skills to engage with men effectively about their health. The vast majority of professionals told us that they either strongly agreed (36%) or agreed (48%) with this statement. This suggests that further research is needed to define what the training need for healthcare professionals might be.

Organisations and professionals also proposed training for health professionals on how to work effectively and engage with men. This includes for male-specific issues, such as those related to sexual and reproductive health and sexual relationships as well as mental health support and social prescribing.

Investment

Funding and investment arose as strong themes among respondents. Written responses from the public suggested:

• investing more in the NHS and its services, including GP funding for men’s conditions
• exploring improvements in both digital and in-person support
• improving online systems and records management
• providing easier access to advice and care for men through investing in online platforms and local services, such as men’s health groups in person or online through their local GP practice

In their written evidence, organisations and professionals also suggested:

• protecting and increasing funding for the public health grant and community interventions and providing further resources for accessing community services
• protecting and increasing funding for specific conditions and services such as those related to mental and sexual health, as well as for specific population groups
• increasing funding and promoting grassroots community interventions specifically for men, and making further investment in community led outreach services and informal, non-clinical spaces
• making sure funding considers long-term support for initiatives to ensure the lasting impact of interventions
• improving and sustaining funding for treatment services and the provision of multidisciplinary teams

Supporting individual behaviours

Respondents selected many topics related to health behaviours to be prioritised in the strategy, including:

• alcohol (16%)
• physical activity or inactivity (15%)
• diet (14%)
• weight (13%)

Understanding the reasons behind unhealthy behaviours

Evidence shows that men are more likely to engage in certain unhealthy behaviours. We asked organisations and professionals submitting evidence to share their views on why this was the case. The responses received support existing evidence that the reasons for this are complex and multifaceted.

The main themes in the written evidence were:

• individual factors significantly influencing men’s health behaviours, with harmful behaviours more prevalent among certain groups of men. These include factors such as:
  • age
  • level of deprivation and financial situation
  • employment status and type
  • ethnicity
  • existing physical or mental health conditions
  • sexual orientation
  • region
  • caring status
  • family influence (noted by some organisations as impacting gambling behaviour)
• the influence of gender, social and cultural norms on health behaviours such as alcohol use, diet, gambling and smoking. This can be compounded by online content and social media
• engaging in risky health behaviours such as alcohol, drug use and gambling as coping mechanisms for other emotional issues
• the availability, accessibility and normalisation of harmful health behaviours, such as gambling and alcohol
• the impact of social isolation and loneliness on unhealthy behaviours, such as poor nutrition and substance misuse
• the impact of adverse childhood experiences, linked to the tendency to use risky behaviours as a coping mechanism

Social and economic disadvantage, particularly among men in lower-income groups, limits access to healthy food, quality housing, and active travel options as well as increases their risk of alcohol and smoking-related harms.

– not for profit organisation

Expectations around masculinity can encourage behaviours that pose risks to health, such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, unhealthy eating, and a reticence to engage with public health services. These behaviours are often normalised in peer groups and can be more prevalent in communities facing wider social disadvantage.

– business

Gambling-themed games may normalise gambling as a socially acceptable, enjoyable, and risk-free activity.

– public sector body

The following section summarises views on how men and boys can be better supported to take individual action to improve their health behaviours.

Opportunities to support healthier behaviours

Education appeared as a strong theme among the written responses from the public. This included:

• improving communication and education, starting from a young age in school settings, including platforms such as social media and television
• providing clear advice and resources on prevention and proactively engaging in early life to highlight the benefits of healthier behaviours and risks of engaging in unhealthy behaviours
• providing male-specific support for healthy diets (including the importance of limiting processed foods), exercise and mental health, to help adopt healthy behaviours

Written responses from the public also highlighted the role of greater government regulation. The main themes were:

• tighter controls on advertising for alcohol, fast food and gambling, similar to what has been introduced for smoking
• regulating processed food and the influence of the food industry, while lowering prices for healthier foods to make these more accessible

Written evidence received from organisations and professionals also suggested:

• legislation around food quality and information to help reduce obesity rates, such as mandatory traffic light labelling on packs, salt targets and policies around alcohol
• increasing marketing restrictions online and offline to restrict access and visibility to unhealthy foods
• recognising the impact of the alcohol industry and its impact on alcohol-related harms in men. Contributing factors to alcohol-related harms include:
  • availability of cheap alcohol
  • persistent advertising
  • packaging and placement advertising specifically tailored to men
  • the association with sports
• introducing fiscal measures such as minimum alcohol pricing and a tax on the soft drinks industry

Organisations and professionals suggested that men need specific prevention efforts on unhealthy behaviours that contribute to the major health conditions impacting men and highlighted the need for health promotion during major life events, such as fatherhood. Some also suggested screening for harmful behaviours and promoting healthier behaviours across services. Specific barriers and suggestions related to diet and exercise, gambling and healthy relationships are set out below.

Diet and exercise

Diet and exercise arose as a theme among responses received from the public. Points included:

• the need to focus on accessible, affordable sports and physical activity facilities to ensure pathways for continuous engagement in sports after leaving school
• prioritising affordable access to healthy nutrition
• encouraging more boys and young men to participate and socialise during exercise and sports

More help with knowing what are healthier foods to eat. I know what is unhealthy, but I don’t know what to eat instead.

– man, aged 35 to 44

My mental wellbeing was not in a good place, and I saw that there were local football clubs putting on relaxed sessions to help those in a similar situation to myself. Playing organised sport offers a healthy way to get out, get fresh air, and spend some time focussing on another activity.

– man, aged 35 to 44

Gambling

Harms related to gambling arose as a strong theme among the written evidence received from organisations and professionals. The main points were:

• acknowledging that it can be an overlooked public health issue that disproportionately affects men, and that harms from gambling can further increase inequalities both for individuals and their families
• that stigma around gambling can discourage men to seek help, and messaging can shift blame to individuals, framing harms as personal failures rather than it being a systemic issue
• that there is a link between gambling and sports that are popular with men, such as football and boxing, which can enhance the appeal of gambling
• the need to recognise the links between gambling, poor mental health and an increased risk of suicide
• that current support available in terms of NHS provision and the voluntary sector is patchy and limited, with a need for earlier intervention and improved support
• that the gambling industry continues to develop highly addictive games to boost profits
• a call for stronger regulation around the gambling industry in particular, given the online landscape and the shift to some gambling products being available 24/7. Concerns were raised about predatory and aggressive marketing practices in places, some of which target high-use gamblers to incentive them to gamble more

Healthy relationships

In total, 10% of respondents selected healthy relationships as a priority topic to be addressed in the strategy.

Written responses from the public highlighted the need to ensure support is in place for men who have experienced abuse or trauma and to recognise that violence and harm against men can occur from both men and women.

In their written evidence, organisations and professionals also noted that:

• limited intervention and support services are available for domestic abuse (male victims and perpetrators) and male victims of sexual abuse
• male victims may not seek help or access healthcare services due to stigma
• men who cause harm can have significant unmet mental health needs
• there is an association between domestic abuse and suicide in men, which is being increasingly recognised
• pornography is an important issue to be addressed

Developing healthy living and working conditions

We asked specific questions around work and health in the survey. Men who disclosed a health condition or disability were asked whether and how their condition or disability impacts their experience in the workplace.

In total, 67% of men sharing their lived experience told us that their health conditions or disabilities impact their experience in the workplace either a little (50%) or a lot (16%).

Table 13: results for the question ‘do your health conditions or disabilities impact your experience in the workplace?’

Response	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Yes, a lot	338	16%
Yes, a little	1,038	50%
Not at all	634	31%
Prefer not to say	53	3%

The impacts most selected by men were:

• increasing stress levels (68%)
• impacting mental health (65%)
• impacting productivity (65%)

Responses varied among different professions, for example:

• men working in human health and social work activities were slightly more likely to say their condition increases their stress levels
• men working in manufacturing were slightly more likely to say their condition impacts their mental health
• men working in professional, scientific and technical activities were slightly more likely to say their condition impacts their productivity

Table 14: impact of men’s health conditions in the workplace

Impact	Number of respondents	Percentage of respondents
Increase to stress levels	929	68%
Mental health	899	65%
Productivity	897	65%
Relationships with work colleagues and/or their manager	534	39%
Opportunities for career progression	400	29%
Earnings	332	24%
Pain or mobility issues impact their activities	33	2%
Prefer not to say	30	2%
Additional time off (sickness, attending appointments, effects of treatment)	11	1%
Impacts due to fatigue	10	1%
No impact	c	c
Other	50	4%

We asked respondents for suggestions as to how to better support men with health conditions in the workplace. The main points raised were:

• the need for a flexible workplace to take into consideration and support health conditions or disabilities, with workplace adjustments and flexible working
• the need to improve sick leave policies for men, with paid time off work to attend appointments, and providing workplace occupational health services to enable employees to access support
• in certain circumstances, reducing working hours and increasing the opportunity for individuals to seek support for their health
• improving access to health information and advice and having healthcare professionals present in the workplace for health checks
• training managers in supporting employees’ health (including mental health) and wellbeing to help people to stay in work
• ensuring that workplaces have mental health first aiders and mental health training to enable a change of culture around mental health in workplaces and promote a supportive culture
• providing safe spaces and greater support for men to talk about their health in the workplace
• ensuring open communication, flexibility and normalising conversations in the workplace related to health conditions to reduce stigma around men’s behaviour, health and emotions
• improving working conditions and encouraging healthy behaviours in the workplace including:
  • being more active at work
  • time for exercise
  • proper breaks
  • wellbeing sessions
  • sports and activities at work
• removing workplace gender bias that affects men, such as in relation to paternity and shared parental leave
• having legislation in place for workplaces and employers to provide health interventions

In written evidence, organisations and professionals also highlighted:

• the important role of employment and workplaces in improving men’s health outcomes
• the links between work and poor health, including within certain occupations held predominantly by men
• the need for holistic health interventions in the workplace
• that certain occupations, such as the construction industry, face higher rates of suicide
• concerns around men’s help-seeking in the workplace due to the stigma around certain issues such as mental health

Having struggled with my own mental health, I wanted to give something back and I have successfully supported a number of colleagues in the workplace. This has been so rewarding, helping people avoid absence from work and empowering them to take control of their own mental health.

– man, aged 55 to 64

Fostering strong social, community and family networks

In their written evidence, organisations and professionals highlighted loneliness and social isolation as an important issue for men that can lead to a lack of support networks. They highlighted that this can be a particular issue for certain groups, such as older men.

Community support and men’s groups

The role of community support and men’s groups arose as a strong theme throughout the responses. Written responses from the public highlighted the need to improve individual, peer t–peer and professional community support for men and boys to look after themselves and seek support when required. Points included:

• the need to ensure that there are open and safe spaces for men to discuss health issues in community-based settings, such as community hubs
• focusing on professionals improving communication and engagement with men through community-based services
• empowering boys and men to choose positive healthy behaviours by improving social interaction and engagement through intervention groups or activities
• concentrating on community engagement and activities with a specific purpose, such as physical activity designed specifically for men and boys to help reduce isolation and loneliness
• involving men to co-develop support services and community groups
• ensuring sufficient funding for community spaces as a way of providing social support to men

Men need an outlet, a community group and not just a GP. We generally know men’s thoughts around themselves, the barriers they put in and even still there is a stigma attached to men seeking support. The traditional go down the pub, have a pint with your mate and speak things through is a format that works for many, however, comes with unhealthy behaviours and potential risk factors. Men feel best supported when they are together whether this is part of a team (football), a local group and engaging with like-minded individuals. As previously suggested, communities need to do more and feel the focus needs to come from here, I am more than happy to trial something like this within our local community if such [an] initiative was put in place.

– man, aged 35 to 44

In written evidence, organisations and professionals also highlighted the important role of the VCSE sector in supporting men. They highlighted:

• the lack of community infrastructure and social spaces for men
• the need for community, peer-support and creative models of health delivery and to improve healthcare provision in social settings
• the use of social prescribing models to play a role in supporting and accessing services

Support for fathers

In total, 12% of respondents selected fatherhood as a topic to be prioritised in the strategy.

Support for fathers appeared as a strong theme throughout the responses. The main points raised by the public were:

• consideration of fatherhood as a major life event where advice and support for behaviour change can be provided. Attention should be given to ways in which engagement with health can be encouraged at these significant life events
• providing support services for young fathers to improve their health and overall outcomes for the whole family
• ensuring fathers are considered and included in the care of their children, such as being invited, present and involved with healthcare discussions related to their children
• including men and particularly fathers in family services, including a reform of family law, for example providing more support for men in a more equal way to support children and parents during and after a divorce
• ensuring there is also a focus on men during the process of family separation and custody proceedings as well as a need for equal parenting laws

[…] All fathers should have the right to 3 months paid paternity leave, to be taken at any time in the first 2 years of the baby’s life. This would really help reduce the stress and anxiety. However, more support is needed for fathers throughout that period to adapt to their new role and ensure they’re able to play a full part in supporting their birth partner and baby, as the stresses change as sleep changes owing to teething, illnesses etc, and in particular to help fathers understand how and enable them to play an equal role in parenting (which is essential for women’s mental health and gender parity in society).

– man, aged 35 to 44

Responses received from organisations and professionals highlighted the lack of support for fathers, particularly around their mental health. Responses included:

• ensuring fathers are supported during the antenatal and postnatal periods, with a focus on mental health and isolation, as fathers are rarely screened or offered mental health support after the birth of a child
• fathers rarely receiving bereavement support after the loss of their baby
• acknowledging that fathers can feel excluded and ignored in antenatal and postnatal services which can contribute to poor mental health and recognising that new fathers are an at-risk group for suicide
• recognising fathers may not present to GPs with depression and anxiety during the postnatal period and may ignore their own needs while they support their partner
• considering policies such as paternity leave, including disparities in access as some fathers may not be eligible, such as those who are self-employed or receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance

Addressing societal norms

In total, 11% of respondents selected masculinity as a priority topic to be addressed in the strategy.

Improving societal views and expectations of men arose as a common theme in the responses received. The main points raised by the public were:

• a need to address cultural and societal norms and recognise the diversity and influence of such norms on health, to listen to the concerns of men and understand the societal pressures that can affect them. As an example, one respondent highlighted that to help men and boys engage in healthier behaviours around alcohol use and cardiovascular health, it is important to understand the social forces shaping their choices
• a need to address bias in society that disadvantages men and boys, and to encourage more positive perceptions towards them. Some respondents felt that society and the systems within it can discriminate against men and boys or perceive them in a negative way
• recognising the importance of having visible male role models that advocate for mental and physical health and conceptions of masculinity that lead to positive health and wellbeing outcomes
• the need to challenge harmful content and messaging on social media platforms. Some respondents felt that it was important that social media and influencers on these platforms try to prevent young boys and men from being pulled towards beliefs, attitudes, expectations and behaviours that lead to negative health and wellbeing outcomes

Stigma around men’s health and in accessing healthcare services appeared as a strong theme in the written responses from the public, organisations and professionals. Respondents felt that it is important to tackle stigma, feelings of shame, cultural norms and conceptions of masculinity that lead to poor health and wellbeing outcomes, which can all prevent men from seeking support.

Suggestions to address stigma included:

• undertaking specific work to tackle male stigma and provide positive masculine identities, recognising that everyone must play a role to challenge gender norms that lead to poor outcomes to overcome stigma and health avoidance in men
• ensuring healthcare staff are respectful towards men to enable them to feel safe and comfortable in seeking healthcare advice and interventions. A greater number of male healthcare staff was also recommended
• ensuring that there are safe spaces for men to share their views and concerns
• involving partners and family members to help raise awareness of conditions affecting men and support them in accessing services

Education from a young age, boys and men need to know it is ok to seek help and that it’s ok to cry or be upset. The stigma of needing help needs to be stopped.

– woman

As an example of how to improve support for men with health conditions in the workplace, one respondent said:

Remove the stigma that men need to be strong and just deal with the problem.

– man, aged 55 to 64

Organisations and professionals also highlighted the significant impact of cultural, gender and societal norms on men’s likelihood to seek help and engagement with health and noted that norms can be exacerbated by the online environment.

They highlighted the role of society in tackling this, including that of schools and further education institutions in starting conversations with young men and boys through the curriculum to combat beliefs, attitudes, expectations and behaviours that lead to negative health and wellbeing outcomes.

Tackling health challenges and conditions

This section covers the views received around specific health challenges and conditions affecting men.

Mental health and suicide prevention

Mental health and suicide prevention arose as a strong theme from the public, professional and organisational responses. The main points highlighted by the public were:

• the need to prioritise support for men’s mental health and suicide prevention, early intervention and improving mental health care overall, as care can be ineffective at times
• addressing the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and suicide
• considering the wider determinants that impact upon men’s mental health
• providing more accessible spaces and environments to enable men to discuss their mental health concerns
• co-development of mental health services and collaboration with men with lived experience of mental health conditions
• raising awareness and understanding of men’s mental health conditions, including neurodivergence

I lost my older brother in 2018 to mental health [issues] and undiagnosed issues, it made me realise how difficult it must be for someone who doesn’t know who to turn to for support, and the NHS system was flawed with its lack of help and funding for such conditions.

– man, aged 45 to 54

Consider those with lived experience being part of multi-disciplinary teams on mental health. […] Education comes in many forms and those with lived experience should be part of a two-way reciprocal solution via peer support

– man, aged 55 to 64

In their written evidence, organisations and professionals highlighted:

• the lack of timely and tailored mental health and suicide prevention support for men with services not always designed with men’s needs, preferences or behaviours in mind
• the need for a range of support such as:
  • male-focused spaces and interventions
  • co-production
  • public health campaigns
  • novel interventions
  • peer support
• men may also prefer nonclinical mental health support settings, which were considered to be underfunded and not well signposted
• men can be less likely to seek help for their mental health or suicidal ideation due to societal expectations about gender-appropriate behaviour, stigma, fear, pride, shame of expressing weakness and their emotions. The need to tackle norms preventing men seeking mental health care was highlighted
• help-seeking behaviours can be affected by negative previous experiences, societal norms, mistrust of the health system or an awareness of the pressures on mental health services leading to minimisation of their concerns
• a lack of suitable venues for men to socialise (especially in evenings) and a loss of youth clubs, which can contribute to loneliness and isolation, which in turn can contribute to poor mental health
• recognising the need for services to be culturally competent and trauma informed, as traditional counselling approaches may not engage men effectively. Feeling misunderstood or judged can lead to further disengagement
• mental health services not being equitable and lacking tailored support and engagement for groups of men at highest risk of suicide and poor mental health. A lack of recognition and tailored treatment for eating disorders in men, and specific services for refugees and asylum seekers was also mentioned

Physical health conditions

In total, 56% of respondents selected cancers typically affecting men as a topic to be prioritised within the strategy. A total of 15% selected other cancers (such as bowel and lung cancer). Points highlighted by organisations and professionals related to cancer included:

• men with cancer can experience lower levels of help-seeking and health literacy. Men need improved, tailored, culturally competent health messaging to improve their understanding of symptoms, screening uptake and understanding of contributory health behaviours (including consideration of stigma, norms and shame around intimate symptoms)
• men with cancer need improved holistic support and better recognition of the psychological and emotional toll of their experiences (including those related to sexual function, incontinence and stoma use)
• the need to consider a new approach to the screening and diagnosis of prostate cancer, as well as the inequalities faced by certain groups of men
• suggestions to increase the number of staff working in cancer related services, such as radiology and oncology

On cardiovascular disease, points highlighted by organisations and professionals included:

• disparities in diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions in men related to socioeconomic disadvantage or ethnicity
• poor help-seeking and health literacy leading to late presentation and poor uptake of screening and the NHS Health Check
• lack of tailored care for men with heart disease, from prevention and screening through to diagnosis and treatment

In total, 5% of respondents selected sexual health as a topic to be prioritised in the strategy. Points highlighted by organisations and professionals relating to sexual and reproductive health included:

• the need to understand the impact of stigma and risky behaviours
• the need for sustained investment in sexual health provision for men. This should include addressing health inequalities for GBMSM and men from ethnic minorities
• there is a lack of focus on male infertility in policy, research and healthcare services or education (including inequalities in accessing fertility services). Further information, data collection and diagnostics are required to understand the link between sperm quality, infertility and physical outcomes
• a lack of understanding, underdiagnosis and undertreatment of testosterone deficiency and the impact on wider health outcomes

Organisations and professionals highlighted the need to increase support and improve access for services for a range of other conditions, including:

• musculoskeletal conditions
• multiple sclerosis
• hearing loss
• dementia
• diabetes
• erectile dysfunction
• urinary conditions
• circumcision
• steroid use

Gaps in research and data

Organisations and professionals noted the need for a co-ordinated approach to the leadership of men’s health research and interventions, with a focus on funding and sustainability to ensure the lasting impact of interventions.

We asked organisations and professionals providing written evidence to highlight gaps in research and data relating to the themes of the call for evidence, which were:

• understanding and identifying areas where we can improve support for healthier behaviours
• improving outcomes for health conditions that typically, disproportionately or differently affect men
• men’s access, engagement and experience of the health service
• further evidence

These are set out in the following sections.

Data, evaluation and research

Research and data gaps included:

• improving collection of data by sex and other demographics regarding service usage, experiences and health outcomes
• improving and collecting further data to inform targeting, understanding the impact and improving delivery and engagement of men’s health services and interventions
• ensuring men, including those from marginalised and specific groups, are involved in research, and funding research and pilots into men’s health conditions and behaviours to inform service provision
• further research on inequalities and the experiences of different male demographic groups and how individual factors and social determinants impact men’s health

Improving access to healthcare services

Research and data gaps included:

• research and evaluation of services and interventions that work for men, including men-specific services, with consideration given to accessibility, digital approaches, equality and provision for underserved groups
• understanding barriers to timely access, diagnosis and engagement with healthcare services, including among different groups of men as well as how men use healthcare services
• in vitro diagnostics (IVD) access, the long-term outcomes of IVD interventions and how community-based models could improve uptake
• men’s health literacy and preferred communication methods

Supporting individual behaviours

Research and data gaps included:

• expanding research and improving data on addiction, substance use and risky health behaviours in men (including for gambling, alcohol, smoking and drug use) with attention to comorbidities
• effective intervention design to support men to engage in healthier behaviours
• diet and exercise, considering the impact of cultural background, ethnicity, sexual orientation and class as well as evaluation of interventions
• improving data around sexual abuse and domestic violence and understanding the impact of sexual abuse and violence on men’s health behaviours and outcomes

Developing healthy living and working conditions

Research and data gaps included:

• links between employment and impact on health and mitigating interventions
• the uptake of workplace health support compared to healthcare settings
• the impact of online exposure and influence, including in relation to social norms

Fostering strong social, community and family networks

Research and data gaps included:

• evaluation of social prescribing, community-based, peer and family-based models for supporting men
• the impact of loneliness on men and how it presents in men, as well as preventing isolation as a ‘life course’ approach
• fatherhood and how interventions can better support men across these life transitions

Addressing societal norms

Research and data gaps included:

• the impact of social norms on health outcomes and behaviours, including among different groups of men as well as effective approaches for addressing social norms
• anabolic steroid use and body image

Tackling health challenges and conditions

Research and data gaps included:

• men’s mental health and suicide prevention, perceptions of at-risk men and their association with other life circumstances, such as living with debt. This also includes improving data collection around suicides.
• effective approaches for preventing suicides in men and supporting men’s and boys’ mental health and wellbeing, with attention to gender norms
• male-specific impacts of health conditions, such as diabetes, bladder and bowel conditions and musculoskeletal conditions
• male health issues such as prostate cancer, and strengthening diagnostic and treatment pathways
• cardiovascular, metabolic and hormonal health in men, including heart failure, diabetes and testosterone-related conditions
• research and data on other specific areas such as:
  • dementia
  • sexual health services and male reproductive health
  • the impact and promotion of the HPV vaccine

Development of the men’s health strategy

Organisations and professionals highlighted suggestions for the strategy itself. These included:

• ensuring the strategy is cross-cutting and links to other strategies
• prioritising certain topics and health conditions
• governance and accountability targets
• the appointment of a men’s health ambassador

Conclusion

The views and evidence collected through this call for evidence have provided valuable insights into the most pressing issues facing men across the country. We are grateful for all the responses we received from the public and organisations and to all those who promoted the call within their networks.

The call for evidence is an important part of ensuring that action on men’s health is grounded in evidence and informed by what matters most to men, the views of organisations that support them and experts in the field of men’s health. The substantial amount of evidence we received highlights the knowledge and experience of many organisations and individuals from a range of places and communities who have been working hard to shine a light on and support men’s health for many years. They have important insights to share, including best practice for what works for men and where there are gaps in provision. Making progress on men’s health means listening to men, capitalising on the knowledge that already exists and spreading good practice across England.

As well as considering emerging findings from the call for evidence in the development of the men’s health strategy, the evidence collected will inform future policy on men’s health to achieve our vision of improving the health and wellbeing of all men in England. We will continue to refer to what we have heard to ensure that future action to improve men’s health outcomes takes account of the valuable views, experiences and evidence we have gathered.

We recognise that the survey responses are not reflective of all men that the strategy will seek to serve and that there is an association between the groups who are underrepresented and health inequalities. The findings from the call for evidence will therefore be supplemented by a series of focus groups with diverse groups of men, funded by NIHR and in collaboration with the King’s Fund and the University of York.

This research will capture additional insights on how men from different backgrounds view and experience health, health behaviours and their engagement with health services. This research will enable a rich and nuanced analysis of issues affecting men of different backgrounds, to ensure that the lived experience of all men is considered in policy development. The findings of this research are expected in March 2026.

The call for evidence has also highlighted several evidence gaps. These will be explored through our recently established Men’s Health Academic Network and will be considered as part of our wider ambitions to build the evidence base on men’s health.

We also hope that these findings will help policymakers, service providers, health and social care professionals, businesses and organisations to maximise the impact of their work to support men. While we recognise the important role that government must play in showing leadership on men’s health, we know that government alone cannot create the scale of change needed to ensure all men are supported to live long, healthy and fulfilling lives. We encourage all sectors to engage with the evidence we have collected and continue to build on and consider how they can apply these findings to make every contact with men count.