Dalby Men’s Shed members share their stories after Movember The Real Face of Men’s Health report

Men’s shed members, councillors, police, mental health and charity organisations met in Dalby for an important cause. Find out more.

Members of Dalby Men's Shed, Movember and Are You Bogged Mate? met to discuss men's health. Photo: Jack Dyson Evans.

Men’s health was the focus of discussion when members of men's’ sheds across the state met in Dalby to hear about Movembers The Real Face of Men’s Health report and share their stories.

The report which surveyed men of all ages from across Australia found damning evidence showing that almost two in five (37 per cent) men living in Australia die prematurely, 53 per cent believed it was normal for men to avoid health check-ups and 60 per cent waited more than seven days with symptoms before visiting doctors.

The report also revealed when men were experiencing poor physical and mental health it had a negative flow on effect to their carers who in 80 per cent of cases were woman.

Fifty-eight per cent of carers reported a negative impact on their mental health, 52 per cent reported an impact on their social life and relationships and 47 per cent reported a negative impact on their life satisfaction.

During the presentation on Friday representatives from Movember said they were gathering men’s stories from across the country and presenting them to the federal government in hopes of $61m investment into men's health, an investment which they said would have a six fold return.

Australia Mens Shed Association partnerships and engagement co-ordinator Marty Leist said it was important to get men together and break down health stigmas.

“We are here to support the Movember foundation in their project to gather data from all men and increase the advocacy to parliament about the need for more funding for men's sheds and mens health,” he said.

“We are supporting them by getting the men from the men’s shed to advocate more about their experiences and share that so that can be put towards the government.

“It is integral because these individual stories are the ones that are so relatable and it has a ripple effect if one person speaks then another is prepared to speak.”

Mr Leist said he had seen a shift in attitudes towards men’s health in the past few years, a trend which he hoped to see continue.

“Traditionally the stoic male is the man of the house and his mood can really reflect on how that household dynamic works and if they can show their kids it is OK not to be OK then that’s great,” he said.

“My father's moto was ‘don’t think about it and just keep working’ and that was for physical and mental health and that probably had a detrimental effect on me because I thought it was weak to speak.

“That’s the way he was brought up and what we are doing is breaking down those barriers and showing the next generation it is OK to speak.

“These men sheds are great for creating a comfortable environment where they feel they can speak, men typically talk shoulder-to-shoulder rather than face-to-face.”

Dalby Men’s Shed president Leith Talbert said men’s sheds gave people a chance to get out and talk to other men about their issues.

“We are having the event to promote and educate members on health issues for men, and to suggest to men they seek help instead of trying to deal with it themselves,” he said.

“I think it's very important that men don't stay home on their own but get out and get involved with other guys who they can form relationships with, it is a lot more fun to have someone to talk to.

“I think the main things is to get the message out that it’s OK to seek help, the more it is put out there the more men will get help earlier.”

Originally published as Dalby Men’s Shed members share their stories after Movember The Real Face of Men’s Health report