Men & self care: a critical gap in health policy & practice
File(s)
Published version
OA Location
Author(s)
Baker, Peter
El-Osta, Austen
Type
Report
Abstract
Men’s self-care is a critical yet underdeveloped dimension of global and national health policy. Men experience poorer health outcomes, including lower life expectancy and higher rates of many preventable diseases, than women. These disparities are closely linked to weaker
engagement in self-care practices, including lower use of preventive services, delayed helpseeking, poorer symptom recognition and suboptimal management of chronic conditions.
Despite the importance of self-care to men’s health outcomes, health policy, including WHO’s guidelines on self-care interventions for health and well-being as well as national health policies that include self-care, are currently insufficiently focused on men.
This report argues that improving men’s self-care is essential to achieving stronger, more equitable, and more sustainable health systems and environments. It presents a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework for policymakers at global and national levels, combining
structural reform, behavioural insight and service redesign.
Six priority policy areas are identified:
■ Embedding men in health policy frameworks
■ Strengthening regulation of health risks
■ Improving access to male-responsive services
■ Enhancing health literacy
■ Investing in workforce training
■ Accelerating research
engagement in self-care practices, including lower use of preventive services, delayed helpseeking, poorer symptom recognition and suboptimal management of chronic conditions.
Despite the importance of self-care to men’s health outcomes, health policy, including WHO’s guidelines on self-care interventions for health and well-being as well as national health policies that include self-care, are currently insufficiently focused on men.
This report argues that improving men’s self-care is essential to achieving stronger, more equitable, and more sustainable health systems and environments. It presents a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework for policymakers at global and national levels, combining
structural reform, behavioural insight and service redesign.
Six priority policy areas are identified:
■ Embedding men in health policy frameworks
■ Strengthening regulation of health risks
■ Improving access to male-responsive services
■ Enhancing health literacy
■ Investing in workforce training
■ Accelerating research
Date Issued
2026-05-19
Citation
Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH), 2026, pp.1-12
Publisher
Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH)
Start Page
1
End Page
12
Journal / Book Title
Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH)
Copyright Statement
© Global Action on Men’s Health 2026
Identifier
https://gamh.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/selfcare_12pp-FINALLINKS.pdf
Date Publish Online
2026-05-19