BACKGROUND: Healthy People 2010 calls for the elimination of all health disparities by the year 2010, including the 6-year gap in life expectancy between men and women. To this point in time, no one has inventoried the DHHS programs that are specific to men's health.
METHODS: Several methods were used to identify all DHHS programs specific to men's health: survey of Healthy People 2010 contact persons, use of the DHHS search engine, and review of pertinent documents.
FINDINGS: The following DHHS men's health programs were identified: CDC Prostate Cancer Screening Program: $9.2 million NIH Prostate Cancer Research Initiative: $141.5 million NIH - Other male-specific research: $808.2 million OPA - Male involvement in family planning: $4.7 million
Men's health initiatives were also identified in the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Women's Health, and the Agency for Research and Healthcare Quality, but no budget amount had been assigned to these activities.
The total budget for men's health programs is $963.6 million. In contrast, DHHS women's health programs have been allocated approximately $5 billion per year. This reveals a five-fold disparity in gender-specific health programs.
CONCLUSION: The DHHS needs to explore innovative structures and programs to support the elimination of health disparities affecting men by the year 2010. Recent Congressional efforts to establish an Office of Men's Health may facilitate future improvement in this area.
Learning Objectives: 1. Explain the Healthy People 2010 goal to eliminate the life span gender gap. 2. List the ongoing DHHS men's health programs. 3. Describe current Congressional initiatives to address the disparities of men's health.
Keywords: Healthy People 2000/2010, Male Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None