Men's Health Network

Increasing men's physical and mental health so they can live fuller and happier lives. Building healthy families one man at a time through prostate, cholesterol and diabetes education and screening efforts.

Why do we exist?

Men’s Health Network is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of men, boys, and their families through education campaigns, screenings, data collection, surveys, toll-free hotlines, and work with health care providers.  There is a silent crisis in America of epic proportions.  American men are living shorter, less-healthy lives than women. As of 2004 the average life expectancy of American males was 75.2 years, while the life expectancy for women was 80.4 years (NCHS: 2004 data from Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2004 released April 2006 & NVSR Vol 48, # 18).  Men die at higher rates from the top causes of death.  For example, 50% more men than women die of cancer (CDC 2005, Figures are age-adjusted rates per 100,000 U.S. population).

Men’s Health Network (MHN) is the only organization that is addressing this major public health concern as a whole.  We are an educational organization comprised of physicians, researchers, public health workers, other health professionals, and individuals. Men’s Health Network has been known as the leading authority on men’s health, with a Board of Advisors totaling over 800 physicians and key thought leaders on men's health. With a network of chapters, affiliates, and health partners, MHN has a presence in every state. MHN conducts screenings in the workplace and at public venues, sponsors conferences, and promotes awareness periods such as National Men’s Health Week. MHN partners with both private and public entities to achieve these goals.

The failing health of men is not just an individual issue, the health of our fathers, brothers, sons, husbands affects the entire family in a big way.  We are dedicated to addressing this issue as such and building healthy families one man at a time

Men’s Health Network hopes to achieve the following goals:

• Save men's lives by reducing premature mortality of men and boys
• Foster health care education and services that encourage men of all ages to implement positive lifestyles for themselves and their families
• Increase the physical and mental health of men so that they can live fuller and happier lives
• Significantly reduce the cycles of violence and addiction that afflict so many men
• Energize government involvement in men's health activities so that existing government health networks can be utilized to increase the health and well-being of men and boys

What have you accomplished?

At a recent screening in California, Men’s Health Network helped two men discover their prostate cancer allowing them to seek treatment.  At another screening in Washington, DC, MHN identified prostate cancer in a DC Policeman, allowing to receive timely and successful treatment.  And yet another man benefited from MHN’s services when our tests identified his diabetes encouraging him to seek professional help from his physician.  These are just a few examples of hundreds of success stories from across the country. 

MHN organizes and sponsors free health screenings for men in workplaces, churches, and at public gatherings (such as community festivals, retail outlets, conferences or conventions).  Our screenings have proven effective in helping participants discover health problems and catch them before they have developed into serious concerns.  We have developed an evaluation system based on surveys of participants in our health education programs, and those surveys indicate that more than 70 percent of the men who participate in our programs are motivated to see a physician about their health. We have also created a number of culturally sensitive educational materials related to men's health and have disbursed them at events around the world.  MHN is able to provide speakers on health related topics, and we also maintain a web site, www.menshealthnetwork.org,  for the dissemination of health information and events.

Men’s Health Network was successful in working with Congress to establish National Men's Health Week, the week that ends on Father's Day each year, which has generated thousands of awareness pieces in the media and has encouraged corporations and community organizations nationwide to offer screening and prevention activities for men during June.

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