International Men’s Day, ‘Mo’vember, and Public Health: Connecting the Dots

Over the past few years Cayman’s community has become well acquainted with the growing number of events that take place in November that focus on the health and wellness of men and boys.

‘Mo’vember is a month long awareness, education and fundraising effort that focuses on men’s mental health, suicide prevention, prostate and testicular cancer.

International Men’s Day {IMD), November 19, celebrates the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities, while highlighting men’s well-being.

While traditional social and cultural norms are better understood within the context of how they impact the health, wellness and safety of women and girls, these efforts serve to highlight how such norms also have a detrimental effect on men and boys.

Suicide prevention is a key concern for both Movember and IMD due to the fact that globally the suicide rate for men is twice as high as for women, even though women are more likely than men to attempt suicide. How is this possible? Research has shown that male suicide methods are often more violent, which makes it more likely they can be completed before anyone can intervene and offer assistance.

Men also have a shorter life expectancy than women. Globally men tend to live for an average of 70 years, whereas women live for an average of 75 years.

Research also suggests that men could be less aware of their own symptoms and well being, which is why in some nations men are twice as likely to suffer from illnesses like lung cancer and heart disease than women.

The economic and human cost to individuals, families, communities and society of suicidal behaviours, heart disease, lung cancer, and shorter life expectancy make all of these issues serious public health problems that need to be acknowledged, understood and addressed.

The Department of Counselling Services, via both The Counselling Centre (TCC) and the Family Resource Centre {FRC), offer mental health support to all residents of the Cayman Islands free of cost.

Additional mental health support services are offered via:

The Mental Health Helpline: 1-800-534-6463

Cayman Islands Crisis Centre 24 Hour Crisis Line: 1-800-534-2422

The Family Resource Centre will also be observing IMD via a series of events between November 12-25:

November 12:

Men & Boys’ Basketball Tournament

November 19:

Men & Boys’ Football Tournament IMD Dress for a Cause

November 22:

Raising Resilient Boys- parenting seminar

November 25:

The State of Men and Boys Forum

For more information, log on to www.dcs.qov.ky/frc .