The Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA) recently marked the official launch of a new dedicated men’s health website, www.malehealth.ie.
Malehealth.ie aims to set men of all ages on the road to better health by signposting them to a wide range of health information and resources from over 40 leading Irish health organisations.
Based on the hugely successful Australian Men’s Sheds Association website ‘Spanner in the Works’, which has an average 50,000 views per month, malehealth.ie offers key health information for men in a practical, relatable form.
North Cork Independent Cllr. John Paul O’ Shea said: “The development of this dedicated website is a key milestone in the journey of Men’s Sheds connecting with men at many different levels and providing them with information and support in relation to their health and wellbeing. I would encourage men to go online and consider what is on offer.”
The website is designed to be user-friendly for men of all ages, and its interface is based on the familiar shape of a typical car, as a direct comparison to the male body. Users first enter their age category, and can then browse by body part for ailments and conditions that might affect them. Depending on the specific health topic selected, the website directs them to relevant health information from a leading health body. A wealth of organisations are currently signposted on the site, covering a wide range of health topics such as diabetes, joint health and testicular cancer.
Barry Sheridan, Chief Executive of the Irish Men’s Sheds Association commented: “It is very fitting that the Irish Men’s Sheds Association should be the driving force behind this new website. Men’s Sheds have been at the forefront of a revolution in men’s health in Ireland in recent years, and malehealth.ie is another innovative way of encouraging men to take control of their health and wellbeing.
“We know from academic research that 91% of men feel that belonging to a shed has improved their wellbeing. The website will now allow us to spread those health benefits beyond our 400 sheds and 10,000 weekly attendees. Our aim is to empower men to take control of their own health, by showing them how to get the right advice and support from the right people at the right time.”
In addition to signposting users towards key health services, malehealth.ie contains lifestyle advice as well as information and resources on social outlets and the physical changes and risk factors which affect men as they age.
Fergal Fox from the HSE’s Health Promotion and Improvement Programme added, “Supporting Men’s health and wellbeing is core to the work of the HSE, under both our plan to implement ‘Healthy Ireland’ and within the ‘Connecting for Life’ Suicide Strategy. By working with organisations like the Men’s Sheds, our objective is to encourage and engage with men to think about and be mindful of their health and wellbeing. A key part of the information available on this new website are the links provided to a range of health and wellbeing topics, from healthy eating, alcohol, mental health, active living and quit smoking services to cancer screening.”
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