New GP course targets barriers keeping men from healthcare

More than two thirds of Australian men have left, or wanted to leave, a healthcare practitioner because they didn’t feel a connection.
 
At the same time, 37,000 Australian men die before the age of 75 each year, many from preventable causes, with suicide remaining the leading cause of death among men aged 15 to 44.
 
It’s an urgent issue one of Australia’s leading men’s health charities is aiming to fix with its expansion into general practice.
 
The Movember Institute has launched the ‘Men in Mind for Primary Care’ course – a free and online CPD training program drawing on the experience of men’s health researchers, practitioners, and men with lived experience.
 
The RACGP-accredited program is split into three modules – reframing masculinity, meeting men where they are, and hiding in plain sight – designed to offer practical tools to recognise when men may be minimising symptoms, delaying disclosure or disengaging from follow-up.
 
RACGP Specific Interests Men’s Health Chair Dr Alex Romain said the education program aims to help GPs reframe how they consult with men.
 
‘Too often poor health outcomes in men are treated as an unchangeable fact of life or accepted due to stereotypes about male self-neglect,’ he said.
 
‘Compared to women, men not only visit the doctor less often, but when they do, the appointments are shorter and health problems are often more serious.
 
‘GPs know these problems exist. They’ve asked for guidance, and as a highly valued provider within the RACGP CPD home, we are delighted Movember is stepping up to provide it.’
 
The launch of Men in Mind for Primary Care, which also includes dedicated courses for pharmacists and primary care nurses, marks the next edition of Movember’s training platform, with the original course being for mental health practitioners.
 
The primary health course is self-paced and tailored to the needs of GPs and Rural Generalists.
 
Movember’s Health Systems Global Director Ben Rogers said while men do make it into primary care, ‘too many are still dropping out before the system has a chance to properly support them’.
 
‘It’s so important to understand the social and cultural factors that reinforce specific masculine norms, like stoicism, self-reliance and restrictive emotionality,’ he said.
 
‘These norms shape what men disclose, what they keep to themselves, and whether they come back.
 
‘This eLearning course gives practitioners a practical framework to recognise the cues, open the conversation and support men to stay connected to care.’
 
The Federal Government has invested $11.3 million to expand the training program, which will be delivered in partnership with Primary Health Networks across Australia.
 
‘Every man and boy in Australia deserves the opportunity to live a long, healthy and fulfilling life,’ said Federal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler.
 
‘We know that when men feel understood, respected and connected to their healthcare provider, they are more likely to seek help early and stay engaged with their health.
 
‘This program aims to reach men where they are by equipping health workers with the knowledge to support men to better manage their overall health and wellbeing.’
 
The course accounts for 2.5 CPD hours: two hours of Educational Activities and half an hour of Reviewing Performance.
 
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