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Men’s mental health problems are difficult to detect and rarely treated, according to a report on men’s health, compiled by researchers working for the European Commission. Scientists postulate that the health condition of Europeans should be improved, for example by extending the smoking ban.
The causes of men’s health problems
Due to mental health problems, men are more likely than women to commit suicide, resort to addiction or display anti-social behavior. They are also less likely to ask for help, the report said.
According to the authors, male health problems they result to a large extent from the way and style of life, and are not the result of biological predisposition. Therefore, well-targeted health policies, such as smoking bans, or the improvement of road safety and greater care for hygiene and safety at work, can address them.
The report emphasizes that, unlike women men heal less oftenon the other hand, they are more likely to reassure themselves of their good shape. However, they live shorter than women – the average life expectancy of men in the EU is 76 years, and women 82 years. Latvians live the shortest (66 years), the longest – Icelanders and men from Liechtenstein (80 years). Latvia is also the country where the difference between the life expectancy of women and men is the largest in Europe – Latvians live on average 11 years longer.
The main causes of premature death of men in Europe are cardiovascular disease and cancer (lung cancer). Among young men, these are road accidents – 3 times more men than women die each year.
Male mortality – statistics
The authors of the report estimate that in the next 50 years the number of men of working age will decrease by almost 24 million. On the other hand, the number of men over 32 will increase by 65 million. The number of men in some European countries, including Poland, will also decrease.
According to the data of the European statistical office Eurostat, quoted in the report, by 2060 Poland may lose as much as 27 percent. men, as in the Baltic States, Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia. At the same time, their number will increase in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, especially in Ireland and Iceland.
Sport and addictions and health
Moreover, compared to women, men tend to smoke, drink and use drugs more often. They also do more sports in their youth. Italians show the least enthusiasm for sport, the Danes are the most athletic – only one-sixth of them declares that they practice sport less than once a week.
Men practice sports for pleasure, not for health reasons or to lose weight, as most women declare.
Usually, women decide to do regular sports later than men – only after their 40s, but then they apply more to them. About 10 percent. of the surveyed women of this age admitted to practicing sports regularly (the same was declared by only about 5% of men in this age group).
However, the report reminds that in addition to its health aspects, sport can be dangerous. Annually, 7 thousand people die as a result of sports accidents. people. (PAP)