Men's health month is recognized in June of each year. This health awareness observance brings attention to a range of well-being concerns affecting men and encourages self-care along with preventive health visits. Well-being is an experience of health, happiness and prosperity. It is holistic and consists of many domains including physical, mental, spiritual, and social. These can impact the total health of men and illnesses unique to them such as prostate cancer.
According to Rawla (2019), prostate cancer is the second most occurring cancer in men worldwide. The incidence is highest among African American men. Lifestyle factors including stress management, nutrition and exercise, and social support networks can make a difference in outcomes. It's also important to note that comorbidities such as diabetes, family history and genomic differences may contribute to developing prostate cancer (Dovey et al., 2021). Clinical social workers can be of support in helping individuals and families cope with the emotional toll of chronic illnesses. The collective call to address boys' and men's health, is discussed in this year's theme, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Men’s Health Outcomes through our Cultures, Communities and Connections. To learn more about this observance, visit the Department of HHS, Office of Minority Health. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mens-health-month-2024
