EDITORIAL

Abstract

It is now generally well recognised that, when compared with metropolitan areas, the health status of people in rural and remote Australia varies considerably and is generally worse.1 This is even more true for rural men.2 The male death rate is 6% higher in rural areas and 20% higher in remote areas in comparison with metropolitan areas. The death rate from injuries for males is almost three times the rate for females for the same Rural, Remote and Metropolitan Area (RRMA) category, a pattern which is consistent across all areas. For specific illnesses the pattern is more variable, but the message is the same. The health of men in rural and remote areas requires specific attention. In 2000, Robert Hall and Anske Robinson edited an International Bibliography entitled: ‘Promoting Rural Men's Health.’3 This collection of articles, reports and websites is a remarkably slim volume of only 50 pages. In addition, many of the publications listed do not have a specific rural focus. Clearly, there is a need for much more research and academic exploration of this important topic. This issue of the Journal was intended to be a theme edition on Rural Men's Health. Despite two notices in the Journal and some direct requests, only a small number of articles were received and some were not suitable for publication. The three articles which are included explore three different issues. Tsey reports on a participatory action research project involving the Yarrabah men's health group.4 This is particularly pertinent as the life expectancy of Aboriginal men is the worst of all Australians.5 Peach reports on a study which shows that men admitted to the surgical ward of a rural regional hospital have disturbingly high rates of risk factors for poor health outcomes.6 This article highlights the need for more effective health education and health promotion activities targeted on rural men. Aoun and Johnson7 report a study of men's health promotion by general practitioners in the workplace setting. With a particular focus on diabetes, this project engaged with men in their rural workplace encouraging those identified as high risk to follow up with their general practitioner. Although successful, this project highlighted the limited capacity of rural general practitioners and other rural health services to provide much needed health education and health promotion. These three papers scarcely scratch at the surface of Rural Men's Health. The challenge for us all is to focus much more attention and resources on this critically important aspect of rural health.