Financial crisis hits men's health

The recession is undermining more than personal wealth, it is also impacting men’s health.

That is the bottom line assessment of IBISWorld general manager Robert Bryant, who believes the stresses generated by the global financial crisis have combined with a higher prevalence of heart disease, mental health and obesity issues to impact Australian men.

“The leading cause of death in men is coronary heart disease, and excessive stress levels are a significant contributing factor,” he said. “Rising unemployment means many people are working longer hours to impress their bosses and opting out of taking annual leave amid concerns their job may not be there when they return.”

Bryant said this was particularly common among men whose self-worth was closely tied to their career and ability to provide for their family.

“While burning the midnight oil at their desks may help them hold onto their jobs, long hours and not enough time off have been linked to major health problems such as heart attack and cardiovascular disease, obesity, alcoholism, anxiety and depression,” he said.

Bryant said growing fears about unemployment could also cause more men to skip doctor appointments or preventive health checks for fear of taking unnecessary time off work and to eat unhealthy foods because they are working late or under pressure to try and save money.

“Put it all together and the picture is not pretty,” he said.

“As for younger Australian men, IBISWorld predicts that weaker employment prospects and job insecurity will see more and more men living with their parents for longer.”