MPs to question Minister on lack of men’s health strategy amid fall in life expectancy
Health Minister Maria Caulfield will face questions on the absence of a government plan to tackle a fall in rates of life expectancy among men and poorer outcomes for some diseases.
Meeting details
At 10:00am: Oral evidence
Inquiry
Men's health
Minister for Mental Health and Women's Health Strategy at Department of Health and Social Care
Director of System, Oversight and Integration at Department of Health and Social Care
In the final session of the men’s health inquiry the Minister responsible for the women’s health strategy is likely to be pressed on plans announced six months ago to appoint a Men’s Health Ambassador.
Other issues expected to be raised: roll-out of the suicide prevention strategy; steps to improve early diagnosis of prostate cancer among at-risk groups; action to overcome stigma and barriers that can prevent men seeking support for their mental health or medical advice on physical health; improving health inequalities among men.
Further information
- Life expectancy among men is consistently lower than that for women, with a gap of nearly four years. In 2019-20, life expectancy for men in the UK was 79 years and for women, 82.9 years.
- One man in five dies before the age of 65. More than two in five men die before the age of 75.
- Four in five suicides are by men, with suicide the biggest cause of death for men under 35 and a sharp increase in the rate among men aged 35-64.
- Men have a 37% higher risk of dying from cancer and a 67% chance of dying from cancers that affect both men and women.
- Three-quarters of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease are among men.