Men’s Health Week is an international initiative running from Monday, June 10, to Sunday, June 16, 2024, which focusses on the multifaceted aspects affecting men’s wellbeing. It serves as a platform for experts in men’s health to consider the challenges men encounter in prioritising their health and advocating for positive lifestyle changes. It also fosters community engagement by encouraging the development of events and campaigns tailored to address the unique issues facing men. Recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) for 2021-2022 on injuries affecting men in Australia highlights the significance of initiatives like Men’s Health Week.
Males accounted for 54% of injury hospitalisations in 2021-22 and 61% of injury deaths in 2021-22. Males also had higher rates of injury hospitalisation with the top 3 causes of injury hospitalisations being falls (39%); contact with objects (19%); and transport (14%). Injury deaths from transport accidents and suicides are over 3 times more common in men, with men being 1.6 times as likely as women to die of an injury. Transport deaths were about 3.8 times and suicide deaths 3.2 times more likely in men than in women, and while transport injury deaths are more frequent in older men, transport injury hospitalisation occurs most frequently among younger men.
These statistics serve as a reminder of the need to address the underlying factors contributing to men’s health. Men are over-represented in areas such as suicide and transport-related injuries. In 2021-22, suicide was the leading cause of death for Australian men aged 15-44 years and the rate of hospitalisation due to intentional self-harm in men was highest for those aged 19-24.
Between 2015 and 2019, 67.7% of Western Australians hospitalised for transport-related injuries were males. Head to the Know Injury’s transported page providing insights into the impacts and interventions aimed at reducing injuries in this area.
Know Injury has a suite of resources available to download that provides insights into injury and injury prevention for Western Australia. By raising awareness, fostering community engagement, and implementing effective interventions, we can strive towards a future where men prioritise their health and wellbeing proactively and reduce their risk for injury.
Men’s Health Week Campaign Highlights and Events