Men's Health Month Gains Virtual Success
Men's Health Week Celebrates its 25th Anniversary
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Men’s Health Month Gains Virtual Success
Awareness Period Celebrated 26th Anniversary of Men’s Health Week, and
was key to helping fight the spread of COVID-19
Men’s Health Month, the annual awareness period dedicated to the health and wellness of men and boys, came to a close this week after a successful 30 days that reached millions of people around the globe through education activities, health screenings, social media, and other events. But the push for men’s health awareness won’t end in June! Men’s Health Network (MHN) continues to advocate for better health outcomes for men, boys, and their families throughout the year.
This June celebrated the 26th anniversary of National Men’s Health Week (NMHW), passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. There are over 400 proclamations from governors, municipal leaders, and Native American communities posted on the Men’s Health Month website.
President Donald Trump issued a statement3 recognizing Men's Health Week from the White House, and Congress, led by Congressional Men’s Health Caucus co-chairs Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) passed a Resolution doing the same.
Participation from individuals and organizations on social media and virtual networks, in addition to distribution of educational materials by faith-based and community organizations, reached millions of people nationally and globally.
“With the start of a new decade being an opportunity for a fresh start, we encouraged communities to reevaluate their personal health and men’s health,” said Ana Fadich Tomsic, VP of MHN.“With the onset of COVID-19, the country was forced to take a different approach to Men’s Health Month. We are very encouraged by the amount of participation via social media and online awareness during this month. Although we could not hold in-person events, we were able to create a new normal and encourage men to take that step, whether it is via a telehealth appointment or talking more to family and friends.”
• Wear BLUE Day (the Friday before Father’s Day, June 19th this year) – Individuals from around the globe posted photos of themselves in blue to show solidarity for men’s health issues using the hashtags #ShowUsYourBlue, #MensHealthMonth, and #MensHealthWeek. Participants included the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Office of Minority Health, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and various arms of the military, among many others.
• Congressional Men’s Health Caucus co-chairs Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-R) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr. (NJ-D) encouraged other Members of Congress and their social media followers to participate throughout the month by highlighting the importance of regular check-ups and prioritizing men’s/boys’ health in order to extend male life expectancy.
• Online Twitter chats included – Men’s Health Network partnered with Young Invincibles for #TodaysVoicesTues to focus on key issues in men’s health in 2020. MHN also partnered with the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and National Healthy Start Association (NHSA) to promote the importance of fathers’ involvement in maternal and child health.
• Webinars –Men’s Health Network partnered with the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board and other federal agency and national community based organizations on webinars focusing on the physical and mental health of men, boys, and their families.
• Vice President Ana Fadich Tomsic spoke with iHeartMedia’s Neil Scott and Dr. Tom Walsh about the importance of regular health check-ups in their Men’s Health Monthly segment. Listen on Soundcloud1.
“We are gratified by the growth in Men’s Health Month not only in the U.S., but also across the globe,” said MHN Senior Science Advisor Dr. Salvatore Giorgianni, Jr. “Paying attention to the physical and mental health of boys and men has never been more important, particularly with the challenges faced from COVID-19 directly and as it impacts their ability to get care from chronic diseases. “
Other highlights included:
• Key thought leaders in public health such as Dr. Paul Turek (a leader in men’s reproductive and sexual health care and research), Jed Diamond (menalive.com), and nationally syndicated columnist and radio host Armin Brott (MrDad.com) contributed articles to the award winning Talking About Men’s Health blog, including insights into COVID-19 and the importance of continuing to raise awareness to improve men’s health.
Men’s Health Month is built around four pillars: Awareness, Prevention, Education, Family, and has encouraged the development of thousands of health awareness activities during the month of June and throughout the year, both in the USA and around the globe. Private companies, hospital systems, clinics, the faith-based community, fraternal organizations, the public sector, and others use the month of June to highlight their services and reach out to men and their families.
Men’s Health Month and Men’s Health Week are sponsored by Men’s Health Network (MHN), which maintains a list of experts and spokespersons on all areas of male health and wellness, including fatherhood issues. MHN also maintains the www.TesticularCancerAwarenessMonth.com (April) and the www.ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth.com (September) websites.
Men's Health Network (MHN) is an international non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. Learn more about MHN at www.MensHealthNetwork.org and follow them on Twitter @MensHlthNetwork and Facebook atwww.facebook.com/menshealthnetwork For more information on MHN's ongoing Dialogue on Men's Health series, visit www.DialogueOnMensHealth.com
Anne Di Gregory
Men's Health Network
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1 https://soundcloud.com/recoverycoasttocoast/2020-mens-health-monthly-14-june-2020
2 http://www.menshealthmonth.org/
3 https://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/President-Mens-Health-Week.pdf
