141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

280089
Moving towards a salutogenic paradigm of men's health promotion: The significance of men's sheds


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Luckman Hlambelo, PhD Student, School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, South Penrith DC, NSW 1797, Australia
     
This is a study of the impact of Men's Sheds on the health of the men involved. Men's Sheds are community-based organizations unique to Australia that typically provide a space for men not in paid work to participate in meaningful activities such as woodwork and metal work. I argue that the promotion of men's health that is dominated by pathogenic, biomedical approaches, often focusing on problems and risk factors associated with men's apparent reluctance to use health services or visit a doctor is insufficient. Drawing from social determinants of health and strengths-based approaches to males and their health, the social inclusion provided by Men's Sheds is used to confront the limitations and ideological implications of the pathologic approaches, particularly as influenced by the social constructions of masculinity. I then seek to evaluate the effect of social inclusion provided by Men's Sheds on cortisol levels, resting heart rate variability (HRV) and additional health-related outcome measures in men involved. Data is being collected through qualitative and quantitative methods from a sample of 75 men involved in Men's Sheds in Sydney and Central Coast areas of New South Wales in Australia. This research is being carried out as part of a PhD project at the University of Western Sydney.

Key Words: Men's Health, Men's Sheds, Social determinants of health, social inclusion, strengths-based approach, social constructions of masculinity

Learning Areas:

Basic medical science applied in public health
Epidemiology
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the effect of social inclusion provided by Men’s Sheds on cortisol levels, resting heart rate variability (HRV) and additional health-related outcome measures in men involved.

Keyword(s): Male Health, Well-Being

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctorate student at the University of Western Sydney with a keen interest in men's health. Other current research includes inequalities in health (by social class and ethnicity as well as gender), and lay perceptions of social inclusion and their influence on health related behaviours. My conference track record demonstrates a strong theoretical understanding and appreciation of quantitative and qualitative research.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3160.0: Men's health: Thinking globally while acting locally