Member for Davidson, Jonathan O’Dea has highlighted the need for greater attention to be paid to men’s health.
Speaking in NSW Parliament this week, Mr O’Dea said, “Males suffer higher death rates from nearly all non-gender-specific leading causes.
“Heart disease and cancer occur more frequently in males than in females at all ages and, until very old age, men have the overwhelming majority of accidents and injuries.
“NSW has the highest percentage of obese males in Australia. This is particularly notable given that NSW also has the lowest percentage of obese females,” he told Parliament.
“Five Australian men die every hour from potentially preventable causes*, and in many cases the condition may have been arrested, if detected early,” he said.
“High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, colon cancer and infertility are some of the conditions men should actively monitor and seek early help if there are any concerns.
“The number of work-related deaths is about 10 times higher for males than females in all categories of work except commuting, for which the rate is about 2.5 times higher.
“That is not a bad advertisement for a sex change!” Mr O’Dea told Parliament.
“I recently opened a Men’s Health Forum at the Ku-ring-gai Council Chambers, funded jointly by the Council and Foundation 49. Speakers included former NSW Opposition Leader, John Brogden, who addressed mental health issues.
“I noted that under John’s leadership, the NSW Liberal-Nationals became the first political group in Australia to create a portfolio dedicated to mental health.
“With almost one-third of the NSW budget, or $16 billion a year, expended on health, it is in everyone’s interests to actively monitor their physical and mental well-being, be aware of any changes and have the confidence to act on those observations,” Mr O’Dea concluded.
