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The M5 Project – GPs and men’s preventive health

RACGP, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Ageing and other NGO’s and organisations, has launched this initiative. The M5 Project aims to encourage men, with the help of those who share their lives, to take better care of their health and to see a doctor if they have any health concerns. The M5 Project will focus on educating men about preventive health and the key role that regular visits to a GP can play in maintaining their wellbeing.

Listed here are some resources linked directly to the M5 Project which might assist you in your interaction with male patients through their life stages.

M5 Project website
This is a consumer website designed as a health resource for all men and those who care for them. It also links to relevant resources produced by other NGO’s supporting the initiative.

Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice (The Red Book)

SNAP: a population health guide to behavioural risk factors in general practice

Putting Prevention Into Practice (The Green Book)

Health Check cards
The M5 website includes a “health check card” for men, which contains a list of recommended preventive care screening and assessment at various ages. It is based on the Red Book recommendations for men with an average risk, if not done previously or if there were no other relevant diseases when previously tested. The Red Book provides guidance on screening for men at a higher risk and the tests undertaken should be adapted for each patient men based on their individual risk.

Preventive health care and the Medicare benefits Schedule.
The RACGP has lobbied Medicare Australia to ensure a focus on preventive health. This is currently the subject of reform. Medicare Australia’s response to an enquiry seeking clarification about the appropriateness of patients claiming rebates under the Medicare Benefits Schedule for a number of evidence-based preventive health activities in general practice is available on the RACGP website.

Family History Medical Chart
To assist patients who want to gather their family history.

Additional resources

Men’s health and general practice

Men and Osteoporosis - GP Resource (PDF).

Andrology Australia Engaging men in primary care settings (PDF 918Kb).

Malcher G. Engaging men in health care. Aust Fam Physician. 2009 ;38(3):92-95

Russell D. The newly single man. Aust Fam Physician. 2009 ;38(3):98-100

Bentley, Michael. A primary health care approach to men's health in community health settings: it's just better practice. Australian Journal of Primary Health, v.12, no.1, Apr 2006: 21-26

Gregory, AT; Lowy, MP; Zwar, NA. Men's health and wellbeing: taking up the challenge in Australia. – editorial. Med J Aust, 2006 Oct 16; 185 (8): 411

Harris, MF; McKenzie, S. Men's health: what's a GP to do? Med J Aust, 2006 Oct 16; 185 (8): 440-4

Hayes, R. Primary health and the problem with men? Aust J Prim Health, 2002; 8 (1): 83-6

Holden, CA; Jolley, DJ; McLachlan, RI; Pitts, M; Cumming, R; Wittert, G; Handelsman, DJ; de Kretser, DM Men in Australia Telephone Survey (MATeS): predictors of men's help-seeking behaviour for reproductive health disorders. Med J Aust, 2006 Oct 16; 185 (8): 418-22

Malcher G . Men's health, GPs, and 'GPs4Men'. Aust Fam Physician. 2005 Jan-Feb;34(1-2):21-3.

Malcher, GO. What is it with men's health?' Men, their health and the system: a personal perspective. Med J Aust, 2006 Oct 16; 185 (8): 459-60

Poljski, C; Tasker, C; Andrews, C; Wijesinha, S; Piterman, L; de Kretser, D. GP attitudes to male reproductive and sexual health education and promotion: a qualitative study. Aust Fam Physician, 2003 June; 32 (6): 462-5

Smith JA , Braunack-Mayer A, Wittert G, Warin M. "It's sort of like being a detective": understanding how Australian men self-monitor their health prior to seeking help. BMC Health Serv Res. 2008 Mar 14;8:56.

Smith, JA; Braunack-Mayer, A; Wittert, G. What do we know about men's help-seeking and health service use? Med J Aust, 2006 Jan 16; 184 (2): 81-3

White, A; Fawkner, HJ; Holmes, M. Is there a case for differential treatment of young men and women? Med J Aust, 2006 Oct 16; 185 (8): 454-5

Men’s health policy

Macdonald JJ . Shifting paradigms: a social-determinants approach to solving problems in men's health policy and practice. Med J Aust. 2006 Oct 16;185(8):456-8.

Macdonald, J; Crawford, D. Recent developments concerning men's health in Australia. Australian Journal of Primary Health v.8 no.1 2002: 77-82

Smith, James A. Addressing men's health policy concerns in Australia: what can be done? Australia and New Zealand Health Policy v.4 Oct 2007: article 20, Online

Men’s Health promotion

Aoun, S; Johnson, L. Men's health promotion by general practitioners in a workplace setting. Aust J Rural Health, 2002 Dec; 10 (6): 268-72

Burton , NW; Walsh, A; Brown, WJ. It just doesn't speak to me: mid-aged men's reactions to '10,000 Steps a Day'. Health Promot J Aust, 2008 Apr; 19 (1): 52-9

Denner, B. MAN model: health promotion. Australian Journal of Primary Health - Interchange v.6 no.3 - no.4 2000: 230-240

Hall, RH. Promoting men's health. Aust Fam Physician, 2003 June; 32 (6): 401-3, 405-7

Smith JA , Robertson S. Men's health promotion: a new frontier in Australia and the UK? Health Promot Int. 2008 Sep;23(3):283-9. Epub 2008 Jul 1.

Smith, JA. Beyond masculine stereotypes: moving men's health promotion forward in Australia. Health Promot J Aust, 2007 Apr; 18 (1): 20-5

Mental health

Bayram C, Fahridin S, Britt H. Men and mental health. Aust Fam Physician. 2009 ;38(3):91-91.

Wilhelm KA. Men and depression. Aust Fam Physician. 2009 ;38(3):102-105

Brownhill, S; Wilhelm, K; Eliovson, G; Waterhouse, M. 'For men only': a mental health prompt list in primary care. Aust Fam Physician, 2003 June; 32 (6): 443-4, 446-50

Gorman, D; Buikstra, E; Hegney, D; Pearce, S; Rogers-Clark, C; Weir, J; McCullagh, B. Rural men and mental health: their experiences and how they managed. Int J Ment Health Nurs, 2007 Oct; 16 (5): 298-306

Norton, Jonathon; Horan Smith, Jacinta. Promoting men's wellbeing: integrated services for responding to men's depression in community health. Australian Journal of Primary Health v.11 no.1 2005: 9-16

Tylee A , Walters P. Can suicide in young men be prevented by improving access and delivery among primary care services? Br J Gen Pract. 2004 Apr;54(501):242-3.

Rural men’s health

Buckley, D; Lower, T. Factors influencing the utilisation of health services by rural men. Aust Health Rev, 2002; 25 (2): 11-5

Russell N , Harding C, Chamberlain C, Johnston L. Implementing a 'Men's Health Pitstop' in the Riverina, South-west New South Wales. Aust J Rural Health. 2006 Jun;14(3):129-31.

Verrinder, A; Denner, B J. The success of men's health nights and health sessions. Australian Journal of Rural Health v.8 no.2 Apr 2000: 81-86

Preventive Care

Carrière P , Baade P, Newman B, Aitken J, Janda M. Cancer screening in Queensland men. Med J Aust. 2007 Apr 16;186(8):404-7.

Dumbrell S, Mathai D. Getting young men to eat more fruit and vegetables: a qualitative investigation. Health Promot J Austr. 2008 Dec;19(3):216-21.

Jimbo M . Organizing preventive health care in men. Prim Care. 2006 Mar;33(1):237-46, xi.

To provide comment about the initiative, email info@m5project.com.au



Last Modified: 6 July 2009
Authorised By: Quality care and research

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