Men in Ireland are dying too young of causes that are largely preventable according to findings from a new report.

The Real Face of Men's Health  reveals that two in five (40.2%) of all male deaths were premature and that men are 40% more likely to die prematurely than women, across each of the five leading causes. 

Men living in the most deprived areas in Ireland were 150% more likely to die before the age of 75 than those living in the least deprived areas. Health economic analysis for the report also reveals that the five leading causes of years of life lost among Irish men cost over €1 billion in 2023 alone, €716 million which could have been prevented. 

The five causes of the largest number of years of life lost to ill health for men here are coronary heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and suicide.

The report, produced by produced by the Movember Institute of Men’s Health, in partnership with the Men's Health Forum in Ireland and the National Centre for Men's Health in partnership with the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland and the National Centre for Men’s Health calls for cross Government support to expedite the roll out of the National Men’s Health Action Plan throughout Ireland. 

The report details the barriers for men accessing healthcare, the wider impact of men’s ill health, beyond the individual, extending to partners, families and communities as well as the economic costs to the country. It is informed by a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Irish adults plus almost 1,000 caregivers and clinicians combined.

Key findings include:

Barriers to health: GPs said that the two biggest barriers to addressing men’s health issues were a lack of time and men’s reluctance to discuss sensitive topics. Fewer than one in three GPs (29%) felt they had a very good understanding of men’s health. When it came to men specifically addressing mental health concerns, GPs cited stigma, social norms around self-reliance, lack of support networks and fear of career impact as barriers to proactively seeking support.

Mental health: Mental health remains a critical concern. Men account for four in every five suicides (79%), and over nine in ten GPs (97%) encountered men presenting with suicide or suicidal ideation in the past year. On average GPs reported seeing 15 male patients per year presenting with suicidal behaviour with most cases in the 18–34-year-old and 35-54 age group.

The ripple effect of men’s health: The report highlights the ripple effect of men’s ill-health showing the impact goes beyond the individual, impacting families and communities. Six in ten (60%) carers of men – the majority women, reported a decline in their own mental health; 68% said there was an impact on personal energy, and over six in ten (65%) experienced frequent worry and anxiety because of caring responsibilities. 

The report calls on the Government to recognise the need to progress the National Men’s Health Action Plan 2024-2028 with a number of recommendations, including investing an initial €10m in the plan, in tandem with commissioning a full cost analysis, and prioritising the development of a cross-Government Policy Statement on Men’s Health. 

The full report is available on https://ie.movember.com/