Men's Health Week 2011 Campaign Announced

The Mens’ Health Forum has announced its plans for this years Men’s Health week being held 13-19th June, which has the theme: Get A Man Online.

Full details can be found on their website, but here we reproduce some of the key points made by the forum:

“Many men are reluctant users of traditional health services, such as GPs and pharmacies, and do not always respond to mainstream health awareness campaigns. However, most men care about their health and do respond to messages when the information is presented in formats that appeal to them.”

Men’s Health Forum go on to explain the theme of this year’s campaign:

“We know that men are enthusiastic users of wide range of new technologies – online systems, mobile phone applications, social networking, gaming, etc. We want to harness this interest in new technologies to develop health services, information and products that engage men so they take action to improve their health.”

They argue that technology has an important part to play in raising men’s health awareness:

“There is growing evidence that information and services provided through the internet and other technologies can be used to improve men's health outcomes. 37% of men used the internet for health information in 2009, up from 31% in 2008, according to National Statistics data. This is a promising base on which to build.

Men's Health Forum's consumer website attracts over 1.5m unique visitors a year; for the 2010 World Cup, NHS Choices worked with MHF to develop male-specific tools and content using a football theme; and in partnership with MHF, BT developed a pioneering intranet-based lifestyle change programme for its staff that attracted over 16,000 users, most of whom were men. Many men who have not been physically active have been motivated by participative home video games such as Nintendo Wii.”

During MHW 2011, MHF aims to:

• Promote the wide range of new technologies now available to improve men’s health
• Develop new materials for men to use on the internet, their mobile phone, etc.
• Encourage service providers to seize these new opportunities to reach men effectively
• Encourage more men to access health information on the internet and mobile phones

Plans for the week include:

• A high-profile launch event to encourage men to get online.
• An All Party Parliamentary Group on Men’s Health meeting to discuss the role of new technologies in improving men’s health.
• A new smartphone app using humour to raise men’s health awareness and, in partnership with NHS Choices
• A new mini-manual to encourage men to get health info online
• An e-card for people to send a health message to men they care about.
• National/local PR/media activity

Men's Health Forum's consumer website here

Register for Men's Health Week 2011 here

Source: Men's Health Forum

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