When it comes to healthcare, men typically face higher morbidity and mortality rates, and lower life expectancies, than women. For years, the women in men’s lives have often served as a conduit to reaching them about their health, with some success. What if there is a way to remove the barriers that hinder men from actively engaging in their own health?
November is rolling around and besides the U.S. presidential election that is understandably top of mind for many people, it’s also a time when a little more facial hair is grown and celebrated globally in support of Movember: an annual fundraiser to shine a spotlight on men’s health issues.
While efforts to raise awareness on women’s health have remained high over the decades, there is much room to do more for men’s health. For starters, there are many medical conditions that more significantly impact people assigned male at birth, and they range from the often-discussed (e.g., prostate cancer and testicular cancer) to the less obvious (e.g., depression, diabetes, kidney stones, liver disease and Parkinson’s disease).
Historically, getting men to care about their health has been a known challenge for marketing and communications professionals in the life sciences field. The consequences of being less engaged have been serious, and include: delayed diagnosis (from postponement of medical attention) leading to worse medical outcomes and increased financial costs; reduced utilization of health services (such as treatment for mental health issues like depression); and higher incidences of certain preventable diseases (such as heart disease and cancer).
Understanding the thought process that entrenches many men in their behavior is a critical first step to breaking the impasse:
- Societal expectations play a significant role in discouraging men from active participation in healthcare decision making. These stem from traditional masculinity norms, including the need to portray stoicism and self-reliance, which dissuade the act of speaking up or seeking help for fear of showing weakness.?
- Such a “tough guy” mentality leads to a reluctance to express emotional distress or admit to physical pain, and to downplay any symptoms and avoid seeking medical attention altogether. Peer pressure among social groups further reinforce this mentality.
- The added societal pressure to suppress emotions creates a barrier for men to discuss their feelings – whether these reflect anxiety, stress or depression. The expectation that men should be self-reliant and solve their own problems hinders their willingness to seek medical help. Some men also perceive healthcare in a similar way to childcare – that is, to be a female concern – and therefore tend to avoid any preventative efforts or essential treatments.
Because of these challenges, the healthcare industry often seeks to reach men through the women in their lives: their partners/spouses, mothers, daughters, and sisters. While this approach has yielded some success, I believe we do not have to throw in the metaphorical towel when it comes to increasing direct reach and engagement with men.
Empowering men to become more engaged in healthcare decision making begins with creating a male-friendly healthcare environment. To do this, it is imperative to tailor communications to address masculinity norms.
- Promote positive masculinity: Encourage open conversations about men's health and emotional well-being, highlighting the strength in seeking help and prioritizing self-care. Stay clear of language that may be perceived as condescending or overly focused on emotions. Communicate clearly and directly and acknowledge the concern of appearing weak or vulnerable.?
- Reframe health discussions: Discuss health in the context of strength and resilience. Highlight how proactive healthcare can maintain performance and overall well being, and enhance their abilities.
- Address specific men’s health concerns: Provide materials, resources and FAQs specifically tailored to men's health issues. Normalize conversations about mental health. Drive home the importance of regular cancer screenings for prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer. And, educate on the impact of lifestyle factors (such as diet and exercise) on cardiovascular health.
- Normalize healthcare conversations: Create a culture where open dialogue about health is socially accepted and encouraged, and stigma around seeking help is reduced.
- Tailor messaging: Craft messages that resonate with the interests of men – such as performance improvement, longevity, family, quality of life, and financial impact of proactive versus reactive healthcare – and lean into the benefits of good health to support these interests. Use statistics and relatable examples to reinforce the importance of being proactive about health care.
- Harness media to reduce stigma: Use media to counter harmful gender stereotypes and portray positive representations of men who participate actively in their health.
- Launch men’s health awareness campaigns: Leverage a thoughtful channel and content strategy to raise awareness about specific men’s health risks, preventative measures and management approach.
- Collaborate with community partners: Engage sports teams, special-interest groups, faith-based organizations, and other community groups to broaden male audience reach.
- Conduct peer-to-peer outreach: Encourage male role models – including well-known personalities such as athletes and actors, as well as community leaders –? to share their experiences and promote healthy behaviors.?
- Educate healthcare providers: Train medical professionals to understand and address the unique challenges men face when accessing healthcare. Support staff education about men's health and how to communicate with men. Offer appointments with providers who are comfortable – and with whom male patients would feel comfortable – discussing men’s health concerns.
- Make services accessible: Make it easier for men to access healthcare by offering flexible appointment times and locations that are convenient for them, such as workplaces, faith centers, sports venues, community centers or other leisure spots. Organize fun and engaging events like health screenings, fitness challenges, or workshops to encourage participation.
- Discuss health when health is top of mind: Engage with men about their own health (e.g., preventive checkups and screenings) during their visits to health establishments, such as during prenatal and dental visits.
- Build support systems: Foster conducive environments where men can support each other, whether through buddy systems for workouts or support groups for mental health.
- Create a welcoming HCP environment: Make the physical space more male-friendly and consider gender neutral decor. Use digital technologies to tailor engagement with male patients around appointments, information and advice.
With the increasing number of pipeline therapies focused on men’s health in the life sciences industry, marketing communicators have the opportunity and responsibility to truly break the impasse with helping men to engage with their own health.?
Consider the above a blueprint.
Jacelyn Seng is a seasoned integrated communications professional with a proven record of establishing a successful healthcare practice from the ground up; growing a diverse client portfolio across biopharma, biotech, medtech and corporate health sectors; driving multi-year, double-digit revenue growth; and building a robust cross-functional talent team of communications professionals. As a cancer survivor, patient advocate and mentor for young professionals with disabilities, she has an intense appreciation for patient equity and inclusion when approaching healthcare. Reach out
if you’d like to discuss any topic in the life sciences.
