[Report] The Real Face of Men's Health

THE BIG PICTURE: THE STATE OF MEN’S HEALTH

In 2023, almost 75,000 males died prematurely (i.e., before they were 75 years old) in Canada. This is equivalent to 44% of males who died during that period. These deaths are, for the most part, preventable. The two leading causes of premature death in men – malignant neoplasms (cancer) and coronary heart disease – can be reduced through screening and improvements to men’s health literacy, and engagement with prevention services and health promotion programs. Compared to females; males died prematurely 12% more often from cancers and 135% more often from coronary heart disease. 

More than twenty years of campaigning in men’s health has taught us that men, and those around them, care deeply about men’s health, and everyone has a story to tell. We have many inspiring stories of when men are empowered and supported to be well and healthy – socially, culturally, physically and mentally. But we also have stories of men not knowing their risks and not feeling equipped to act – accounts of men feeling disempowered, excluded, or uncertain about when and how to speak to a healthcare professional, or having a poor experience when they do reach out for help.

This report purposefully includes the stories of men and their partners, families, and friends to illustrate and represent men’s health as a community-wide endeavor with significant societal benefits. It outlines the state of men’s health in Canada, addressing contemporary and long-standing challenges and inequities. It does this ahead of highlighting the unexpected faces of men’s health, focusing on caregivers for men who experience ill health. Canadian and international examples of what works in men’s health are also detailed. The report then calls for a Canadian National Men’s Health Strategy and outlines three policy asks with the goal of working with the Canadian government to change the face of men’s health.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

ABOUT CO-AUTHORS UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND NIIGAAN SINCLAIR

The UBC’s Men’s Health Research program was established in 2003 under the lead of Dr. John Oliffe, and includes research manager Dr. Nina Gao and research assistant Matt Sha. Contributing to $45 million in funded research with more than 450 publications, the opportunity to work on The Real Face of Men’s Health (2025 Canadian Report) with Niigaan Sinclair and Movember has provided a critically important moment to pause and reflect, as well as thoughtfully consider and articulate what is needed to advance the health of boys and men in Canada.

Niigaan Sinclair is Anishinaabe from Peguis First Nation. He is an award-winning writer, editor and professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba who specializes in research on Indigenous gender identities, cultures, and politics. In 2022, he was named by Maclean’s magazine as one of the most influential people in Canada after becoming a multiple nominee of Canadian columnist of the year (winning in 2018) and his commentary appears weekly on multiple platforms across Canada. His first book Wînipêk: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre was a national bestseller that won the 2024 Governor General Award for Non- fiction. He is a former secondary school teacher who won the 2019 Peace Educator of the Year from the Peace and Justice Studies Association based at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.