Page 5469 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 16 November 2010
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In the last budget cycle, I supported a budget submission by the prostate cancer support group of the ACT region for three specialist prostate cancer nurses to be appointed and funded by ACT Health. I urge the government to invest in prostate cancer services for the ACT, both to help treat those with prostate cancer and to increase community awareness about the risks and the importance of testing.
Movember also serves to highlight another men’s health issue: depression. As with prostate cancer, men can be reluctant to discuss depression with their families and friends or with their health professionals. As we well know, depression can have significant and devastating impacts on men in the community and their families and friends.
According to beyondblue, one in eight males will experience depression in their lifetime. Despite this high incidence of depression amongst men, they are far less likely to seek assistance for depression. The impacts of depression on men are typically different from those for women. Men have a higher risk of suicide than women, and depression in men can also be associated with an increased risk of a variety of disorders, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Men may also be more likely to turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed or anxious.
Beyondblue has noted some good news in that recent research conducted by beyondblue found that people’s awareness of depression is growing, attitudes towards depression are improving and, importantly, awareness amongst men has increased significantly. More men are becoming aware that depression is a major mental health problem, and, among men who have experienced depression, more are seeking help.
The Movember campaign helps to build on this improvement, increase this awareness and help prevent the very negative impacts of depression for men. There are also some very important programs occurring in the ACT. Workplace mental health and suicide prevention programs include tradies tune-up and mates in construction. There is also the targeting of men’s suicide prevention and mental health and wellbeing programs in Bimberi Youth Justice Centre and the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
Mrs Dunne has already talked about the Men’s Shed movement, which is also an important avenue for providing men, particularly older men, with an opportunity to share their skills and knowledge and talk about issues such as depression. It is also an important means of addressing social exclusion, which often leads to depression. I have met with the men who run and attended the Tuggeranong Men’s Shed, and a number of the men noted that if they did not have the Men’s Shed, they would probably be at home. For many of the men, that would mean being home alone, and they admitted that that would lead to depression or unhealthy levels of alcohol consumption.
The Men’s Shed is a very simple activity, but it leads to really important outcomes, particularly in areas like the ACT where it is often harder to engage with some activities. Particularly when you are older, it is really important for men to have this opportunity.
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