Quick summary: A new report from Global Action on Men’s Health argues that men’s self-care is critically neglected in health policy, contributing to a five-year global life expectancy gap between men and women and billions of USD in annual societal costs. The report sets out six policy priorities, including improving access to male-responsive services, strengthening health literacy, and investing in workforce training, with the aim of reducing preventable disease and easing pressure on overstretched health systems. Presented at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, it calls on governments and the WHO to treat men’s self-care as a public health priority, not an individual responsibility.
A new report has urged policymakers worldwide to address the significant underdevelopment of men’s self-care in health strategies, warning that failure to act is costing lives and placing unsustainable burdens on health systems.
The report, titled Men and Self Care: A Critical Gap in Health Policy and Practice, was produced by Global Action on Men’s Health (GAMH) and endorsed by the Global Self Care Federation (GSCF). It presents a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework for global and national policymakers, arguing that improving men’s self-care is essential for achieving stronger, more equitable, and more sustainable health systems.
Men globally have a life expectancy at birth of 71.5 years, five years behind women. They also experience higher rates of preventable disease and mortality, driven in part by lower use of preventive services, delayed help-seeking, poorer symptom recognition, and suboptimal management of chronic conditions. The report notes that men’s ill health costs societies billions of USD annually, with negative impacts that extend particularly to women.
Building on a previous GAMH publication, Who Self Cares Wins, the report identifies six priority policy areas:
- Embedding men in health policy frameworks.
- Strengthening regulation of health risks to address behaviours and exposures that disproportionately affect men.
- Improving access to male-responsive services.
- Enhancing health literacy so men can manage their health proactively.
- Investing in workforce training so health professionals can engage men more effectively.
- Accelerating research to build the evidence base for men’s self-care interventions.
A roundtable held alongside the World Health Assembly in Geneva today brought together Member States, international organisations, civil society, and health experts to explore how self-care policy can improve men’s health outcomes. Discussions focused on the role of pharmacies and community-based care in reaching men earlier, and on strengthening World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on self-care and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Peter Baker, CEO of GAMH, said: “Advancing men’s self-care is not simply a matter of individual responsibility but primarily a systemic public health priority with significant implications for economic productivity, health system sustainability, and social well-being. Poor male health is not inevitable and can be tackled effectively through targeted health promotion, more accessible primary care services, and policies that take specific account of men. This new report provides a roadmap for policymakers including the WHO and national governments to guide better policy provision for men’s self-care.”
Greg Perry, Director General of GSCF, said: “Men’s self-care represents a critical public health gap that demands a strategic, systematic, and evidence-based response. By improving men’s self-care literacy, we can empower men to navigate their health journeys more effectively, reducing costs for health systems and optimising the use of resources globally. Given the extreme pressures currently facing health systems across the world, a fresh look at the role of self-care in global health policy is particularly timely, especially as we continue building towards making UHC a reality.”
The report emphasises that targeted approaches to men’s health do not detract from women’s health initiatives but instead support overall system resilience.