What You Need to Know:

The statistics for men who are afflicted with serious issues such as prostate and testicular cancer and mental health problems, including suicide is alarming, yet men’s health issues don’t always get the attention they deserve. Each year there are nearly 175,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the U.S. and approximately 31,000 men die annually from this disease.  Testicular cancer affects nearly 9,000 men each year who are often young, with 33 being the average age at the time of diagnosis.

Men who suffer from depression or anxiety are less likely to seek help than women, and they may exhibit different behavioral signs as well, such as irritability and anger, or excessive use of alcohol. Men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide than women, and white males accounted for almost 70% of suicides in 2017. These serious physical and mental health issues have inspired two unique campaigns with important messages and goals.

“Movember” and No-Shave November are two movements being celebrated this month to jumpstart the conversation about men’s health issues. Movember was born out of Australia in 2003 to bring awareness to testicular and prostate cancers by encouraging men to grow a mustache. The idea behind the movement is that when a man changes his appearance it opens the lines of communication to talk about sensitive men’s health issues, which are often socially challenging to discuss. The Movember movement in the U.S. has expanded to include men’s fitness, mental health awareness, and suicide prevention.

The No-Shave November movement began on Facebook in 2009 and recently partnered with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to encourage people to grow hair for one month and donate the money they would otherwise spend on hair grooming to cancer research. Men are encouraged to grow mustaches and beards, while women are encouraged to give up any single hair grooming practice. 

These organizations are inspiring others to put down their razors, start talking, and donate to a worthy cause.

Read more about men’s health issues:

Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 20e: Chapter 83. Benign and Malignant Diseases of the Prostate  Chapter 84. Testicular Cancer

Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020: Chapter 39-17. Prostate Cancer  Chapter 39-23. Testicular Cancer (Germ Cell Tumors)  Chapter 42-03. Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health

The MD Anderson Manual of Medical Oncology, 3e: Chapter 37. Prostate Cancer  Chapter 39. Testicular Cancer

Essentials of Psychiatry in Primary Care: Behavioral Health in the Medical Setting: Chapter 4. Major Depression and Related Disorders

Behavioral Medicine: A Guide for Clinical Practice, 5e: Chapter 26. Depression