Men’s Health In 2024

What Is The State of Men’s Health in Australia?

Australian men are not good at going to the doctor. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 40% of the ill health and premature death of Australia men could have been significantly reduced, or prevented all together. But, for a myriad of reasons, men are less likely than women to see a GP when sick, and are more likely to ignore physical and psychological symptoms. When they do get to the doctor’s office, they tend to be treated for more acute illnesses, injuries, and psychological problems, and are less likely to have a regular GP. 

Australia, like many western countries, has its share of outdated traditional gender stereotypes, stereotypes many Australians believe put pressure on men to meet impossible standards of stoicism, and often keep them from seeking help.

Whatever the reason, the statistics are sobering: On average, Australian men will die 4 years earlier than Australian women, and are 3 times more likely to take their own life. In 2023, more than 75% of those who died by suicide were men.

Australia’s Male Veterans

86% of the current Australian veteran population are men. Subjected to the same societal pressures as the rest of the male population, this cohort is further vulnerable to a myriad of environmental influences that block and hinder access to healthcare.

These barriers include Australia’s societal expectations for men, the resilience culture propagated within our Defence Force, an increased prevalence of complex, chronic health needs, and a complicated health system. These, and other converging factors have created a health emergency and a spike in veteran suicides that have triggered public outcry and a Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, the findings of which reveal a community in crisis.

A Code Of Silence Culture With The ADF

For men and women in the Australian Defence Force, disclosing a medical issue can have significant negative implications on finances, career and social standing. The ADF promotes a culture of resilience, self-sacrifice and self-reliance, and while these are ultimately positive attributes, within an echo chamber that champions career progression and competition, this culture quickly becomes tribalistic.  In an environment where an individual’s health status is often a determining factor in the consideration of types of postings, training and promotions offered by superiors, individuals will adapt and learn to tolerate unacceptable behaviour, illnesses, and injuries until issues become intolerable and impossible to hide.

Australian Veterans Have a Higher Likelihood of Complex Chronic Disease

60% of veterans live with long-term health conditions. For context, this number sits at 36% for the general Australian population. The reason for this complex, but ultimately, the risks inherent in service increase a individual’s likelihood of experiencing the following:

• Arthritis (veterans -33%, general pop. – 12%)
• Back problems (veterans – 31% of veterans, general pop. – 19%)
• Heart, stroke, vascular disease (veterans -15%, general pop – 5.9%)
• Diabetes (veterans – 14%, general pop – 6.9%)
• Cancer  (veterans – 6. 7%, general pop. – 2.6%).

The Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme published by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs noted that 88% of veterans experienced some level of pain, with 37.5% describing this pain as “high-intensity”, or “highly disabling”. 

Veterans More Likely to Struggle With Substance Abuse

Veterans report using substance abuse as a form of coping mechanism for various mental and psychical health conditions. Alcohol abuse in particular is more prevalent, with 47.5% of transitioned ADF members experiencing some kind of alcohol use disorder in their lifetime.

Veterans Have Increased Risk of Mental Illness and Suicidality

Veterans are at higher risk of developing one or more mental conditions as a result of their service. 27% of men who served have had a mental or behavioural condition, with 21% experiencing anxiety-related disorders – double the occurrence in the same demographic within the general population. As noted in the Royal Commission Final Report, mental health illnesses and certain long term health conditions are strongly linked to increased levels of suicidality.

Veterans Must Navigate A Complicated Health System

While in service, healthcare is provided by the ADF through Defence Healthcare. This is a no cost universal-style healthcare more closely resembling the UK’s National Health Service than Australia’s Medicare. The first time many servicemen and women use a Medicare card is when they leave the ADF.   

After transition, veteran healthcare is funded by the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), which covers select conditions pending approval – much like an insurance company. Obtaining funding approvals is complex, and requires the input of a veteran’s GP and often, multiple specialist healthcare providers. While navigating complex chronic diseases and emerging health issues, veterans find themselves faced with a foreign healthcare system in Medicare – where appointments can either be bulk-billed or billable, and a complex funding approvals process via the Department of Veterans affairs, complex even to experienced General Practitioners.

As Dr Sheetal Bull, Total Veteran Healthcare’s Chief Medical Officer explains, “The system is so complex, and if they (a veteran seeking healthcare) have a mainstream, general population GP, that GP has to know the nuances of DVA, Medicare, Centrelink, the public hospital system, private hospital system; the need to know the rules for everything, and that is very, very difficult – they can’t know everything. What is so important about going to healthcare that focuses on veterans, is not only the healthcare element, but an ability to navigate the system, which in some way is more complex than the actual healthcare element.”

Why Veterans Need Multidisciplinary Treatment

Veterans are complex patients. As a direct result of their service, they have a higher likelihood of experiencing multiple long-term, highly complex chronic conditions than the rest of the country. On average, Total Veteran Healthcare’s patients access 4 different services each, from multiple specialists.

Conditions common to the veteran cohort – both mental and physical, often have major implications on treatment pathways, with treatment plans for one condition ultimately impacting the treatment plan for another. A service-aware, multidisciplinary team approach to complex, chronic disease management ensures veterans can focus on treatment, and not navigating the healthcare system.  

Supporting Australia’s Male Veterans

During Movember, the medical community comes together to support men to make their health a priority. This year, Total Veteran Healthcare encourages male veterans to pursue multidisciplinary, service-aware healthcare, so they can focus on the things that matter; their health, their loved ones, and the things that make them happy, and spend less time on the things that don’t.