The Women and Equalities Committee launches a new inquiry into the mental health of men and boys Ahead of International Men’s Day (Monday 20 November).
Scope of the inquiry
Awareness of the mental health problems affecting men and boys has increased in recent years, and it is recognised as a serious issue:
- According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), three out of four people who take their own lives are men (75%); this is the biggest cause of death for men under 50 in England and Wales
- 12.5% of men in England are suffering from one of the common mental health disorders (NHS Digital)
- Men are three times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent (Health and Social Care Information Centre)
- In a survey conducted for the Men’s Health Forum, 12% of men said that the last time they took time off work to see a GP was because they were “constantly feeling stressed or under pressure” and 11% because of “prolonged feelings of sadness.”
Questions which the inquiry will focus on include:
- What are the most pressing issues that affect men and boys’ mental health, and how are these different to the wider population?
- What are the social and economic costs of poor mental health in men and boys?
- What is the effect of the following on men and boys’ mental health:
- Gender stereotyping in childhood
- Gendered expectations around work
- Fatherhood
- Media portrayals of masculinity
- Household finances
- Relationship and family breakdown? - What issues other than access to healthcare affect the mental health of men and boys?
- Which groups of men and boys are particularly at risk of poor mental health and what is leading to this?
- What measures are needed to most effectively tackle poor mental health in men and boys and what are the barriers that prevent these being implemented?
- How effective has Government policy been in improving mental health outcomes for men and boys?
- How effective are the following at tackling poor mental health in men and boys:
- NHS England
- Public Health England
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
- Local Authorities
- Schools
- Local support groups, faith groups, carers, friends and family