Man+Up+&+Seek+Help

Geordy Hendeson n8831611 Tutor: Michelle Cornford

Artefact:
media type="custom" key="24278220" width="207" height="207" align="left" Made in June 2013, this video stars Bondi Rescue's Maxi as he talks about seeking help for Men's Health Week. Maxi is a currently undertaking the role as a headspace ambassador to help raise awareness for mental health issues in Australia. During this video he explains why men shouldn’t feel ashamed when seeking help for mental health issues and shares his experiences to help express the importance of talking about issues instead of leaving it too late. Retrieved: []

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Rural Australian Health has only recently surfaced as major public health issue with emerging data on poorer health outcomes in a variety of areas such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and mental health (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011). The central public health issue being discussed below is rural male suicide and the various reasons why the rising incidence of this issue is occurring. A number of studies suggest that the drought, mental health issues and male stigma in Australian society all have a major influence over male suicide incidence in rural Australia. =====

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The health of men living in rural and remote Australia is vastly poorer than those men who live in major cities, so much so that the where men living in very remote areas are expected to live just 72 years compared to 79 years in urban areas of Australia (Senate Committee Report, 2009, p. 3). One of the contributors to this difference in life expectancy is male suicide, where the incidence is four times higher for males than females and is still growing (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This review is going to look into the reasons behind the growing incidence of rural male suicide and discuss the potential changes that could be achieved in order to combat this public health issue. =====

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It has been found that the main factors that contribute male suicide rates in rural areas are having a mental illness or poor mental health, drought and other extreme weather conditions, limited access to health services and the unwillingness to see help when they are experiencing these issues. Firstly, if a person is simply diagnosed with a mental illness such as anxiety, substance use disorder and depression it will increase their risk of suicide (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2010, p. 17). Although this research is useful to start with, this quantitative view of the one of the many causes of suicide doesn’t show the reasons behind mental illness which can vary greatly from each individual or group within Australia. The rising incidence of male suicide within rural communities has been linked with the prolonged drought, now exceeding 10 years, and other drastic weather events that have caused extreme hardship for all people involved in the farming industry (Alston, 2012). The stress of lost jobs, crops, livestock and properties due to the unpredictable climate is one of the major factors contributing to the state of mental health in rural men (Alston, 2012). =====

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A study conducted by Caldwell, Jorm and Dear (2004) suggest that while mental health plays a significant role in male suicide rates access to health services may also be a risk factor for suicide among rural Australians. Caldwell et al., (2004, p.S10) used retrospective cross-sectional analysis of a number of Australian government surveys and data to discuss possible trends or outcomes. Caldwell et al. found that young men aged 20-29 living in rural or remote areas had the highest rates of suicide, yet this group were far less likely to access help from health professionals for a mental health problem than men in metropolitan areas (Caldwell et al., 2004). Although there was a high percentage response rate, the data excludes adolescents or the identification of Indigenous status and it also relies on self-reported symptoms, all of which are limitations to this study. An interesting study by Judd, Cooper, Fraser and Davis (2006, p. 208) found that the highest rates of male suicide were located in rural communities with a population of less than 4000 people. This could imply that a lack of opportunities could be leading to increased risk of suicide or it could also suggest that a lack of health services available for smaller communities is also impacting suicide rates (Alston, 2012). The reason behind this lack of participation from young rural men may be due to the lower level of specialised services in remote areas and it could also be influenced by their attitudes towards seeking health (Senate Committee Report, 2009). =====


 * // …a high proportion of men “would feel embarrassed” to talk to their doctor – (Senate Committee Report, 2009, p. 32) //**

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It is far too common that men are unwilling to access help when they are going through hardship and mental health issues. Men are about 10% less likely to see their general practitioner in relation to mental health issues than women (Senate Committee Report, 2009). Research has suggested that as a result of society’s stigma around the male role in the family and community, masculinity has a major impact on a man’s willingness to seek health (Alston, 2012). Buckley and Lower (2002, p. 11) conducted a cross-sectional pilot study that looked at the factors contributing to rural men’s use of health services where 289 surveys were completed. Privacy was one of the factors that influenced whether a man would utilize a health service, the study finding that those who were concerned with being ‘seen’ by other people were less likely to use these facilities (Buckley & Lower, 2002). The limitations of this study were the low response rate and the age of respondents, with over half aged over 50 years old. =====

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A major limitation of the majority of studies that have been conducted on Australian men’s health or rural Australian health is that they haven’t been longitudinal so hard to define a cause and effect for the incidence of male suicide in rural communities. If the cause of this growing incidence of rural male suicides is not clearly identified then this major public health issue cannot be addressed. Andrology Australia has begun planning a longitudinal study for men’s health in Australia which will explore the determinants of health in addressing major health issues for Australian men, including suicide (Senate Committee Report, 2009, p.15). =====

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As the issue of male suicide in rural Australia rises, as does the research, interest and awareness of this issue which are focusing on the relationships between male suicide and the drought, mental health and views on masculinity in rural Australia today. Once a longitudinal study is underway, policies and programs should in implemented as soon as possible focusing on combating both individual and community factors that contribute to male suicide in rural areas. =====

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Males living in rural areas of Australia have many unique determinants influencing their health which could affect the rising suicide incidence within this population group. Using social theory, these determinants can be looked at through two different perspectives; structural functionalism and Marxism. This will help to determine which actions to take to help readdress the issue of male suicide in rural Australia. =====

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Structural functionalism is a social theory that can be used in relation to public health to analyse the norms and values that are accepted within a particular society (Donaldson, 2008). A framework was developed by Beard, Tomaska, Earnest, Summerhayes and Morgan (2009, p.11) that summarises the influences of socioeconomic and cultural determinants on rural health in Australia. Using this framework from the perspective of a structural functionalist, at the neighbourhood level the social characteristics such as social capital and collective efficacy directly impact on individual behaviour. For example collective efficacy is how well a rural society can enforce informal norms (Beard et al., 2009, p. 11) and from the literature review a common norm in rural communities is that in order for men to be viewed as masculine they should avoid seeking medical help for mental health issues (Alston, 2012). This value shared by rural communities negatively impacts on the individuals behaviours when viewed through a structural functionalist’s point of view and therefore when addressing this issue, this view should also be considered. As a result a government program could be implemented to aim at changing rural community norms of masculinity and through structural functionalism theory this would in turn have a positive effect on the individual behaviour of rural men seeking advice for mental health issues. =====

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Marxism is a social theory that is used to look at modern capitalism as the dominant control of how populations behave (Thompson, 2008, p. 143) thus viewing the health of society from a macro perspective impacted mainly by capital structure. Again, using Beard et al. (2009, p. 11) framework for rural health, physical characteristics such as resources or access to resources can also directly impact on individual behaviour and their health outcomes. Through the view of a Marxist, these physical characteristics of a rural community such as access to services, like mental health clinics, are completely controlled by capitalism and therefore factors such as federal and state government in Australia will impact on access to these services. To resolve the issue of a lack of mental health specialists in rural communities, a Marxist would indicate that using wide macro level government funding and initiatives would be of benefit to help reduce the incidence of male suicide rates in rural populations. =====

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To conclude, the determinants affecting the suicide incidence among men in rural Australia can be addressed through the use of different types of social theory that relate to each determinant. It is important to consider social theories such as Marxism and structural functionalism when addressing public health issues as it provides a greater insight into why the issue has emerged, and will therefore give better solutions to solve the problem. =====

[[image:has-strong-feelings-is-secure-enough-in-his-masculinity-to-show-them-4e4561.jpg width="357" height="243" align="right"]]
I feel as though this video addresses the issue that men feel as though they are viewed as less masculine or feel as though they have failed when they try to seek help for a mental health issue. I chose this video because it shows the changing views of many Australians around masculinity and seeking help. Maxi says “you’ve just got to man up…” when getting out there and finding help for your mental health problems. I think this is the perfect way of saying that nowadays seeking help in these situations should be seen as masculine and that hiding away should be seen as cowardice. I think it is important for men to feel confidant and valued when they are seeking help for mental health issues and that they do not get looked down on, or feel as though they are, by others around them. Maxi also says in this YouTube clip that a person who finds help “is a person that’s strong”, which represents his perspective; that men show masculinity when asking for help which I completely agree on.

This assignment has allowed me to look in depth at the issues that face rural Australians and in particular rural men. I have learnt that the factors contributing to suicide for rural men do not start and end with mental health but there are much deeper issues that have a major impact on the statistics we see around suicide incidence in rural areas. During this assignment I have also, for the first time, looked at a public health issue from different angles using social theory. Using social theory has broadened my perspective on public health and will help me to use critical analysis for future studies.

Links to Peer Reflections:
http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/ATTENTION+shoppers%21+Beware+of+that+bargain..

http://healthcultureandsociety2013.wikispaces.com/Don%27t+Panic%2C+It%27s+Organic..

References:
Alston, M. (2012). Rural male suicide in Australia. //Social Science & Medicine (1982)//, //74//(4), 515-522. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.04.036

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2011). Health Outside Major Cities. Retrieved September 9, 2013, from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features30Mar+2011

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Gender Indicators, Australia. Retrieved from []

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2010). //A snapshot of men’s health in regional and remote Australia.// Canberra: AIHW.

Beard, J., Tomaska, N., Earnest, A., Summerhayes, R., & Morgan, G. (2009). Influence of socioeconomic and cultural factors on rural health. //The Australian Journal Of Rural Health//, //17//(1), 10-15. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1584.2008.01030.x

Buckley, D., & Lower, T. (2002). Factors influencing the utilisation of health services by rural men. //Australian Health Review: A Publication Of The Australian Hospital Association//, //25//(2), 11-15.

Caldwell, T., Jorm, A., & Dear, K. (2004). Suicide and mental health in rural, remote and metropolitan areas in Australia. //The Medical Journal Of Australia//, //181//(7 Suppl), S10-S14.

Donaldson, L. (2008). Structural functionalism. In S. Clegg, & J. Bailey (Eds.), //International encyclopedia of organization studies.// (pp. 1480-1481). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/10.4135/9781412956246.n509

Gorman, D., Buikstra, E., Hegney, D., Pearce, S., Rogers-Clark, C., Weir, J., & McCullagh, B. (2007). Rural men and mental health: their experiences and how they managed. //International Journal Of Mental Health Nursing//, //16//(5), 298-306.

Judd, F., Cooper, A., Fraser, C., & Davis, J. (2006). Rural suicide -- people or place effects?. //Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Psychiatry//, 40(3), 208-216.

Senate Committee Report. (2009). //Men’s Health//. Canberra, ACT: Senate Committee

Thompson, P. (2008). Capitalism, models of. In S. Clegg, & J. Bailey (Eds.), //International encyclopedia of organization studies//. (pp. 143-149). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/10.4135/9781412956246.n51