The website, launched on 20 July, is designed to be user-friendly for men of all ages. Users first enter their age category, and can then browse by body part the ailments and conditions that might affect them.

MALEHEALTH.IE USER GUIDE

Malehealth.ie has been developed in partnership with over 40 of Ireland’s leading health organisations, as well as the Australian Men’s Sheds Association, whose wildly popular men’s health website provided the template.

The website’s layout is designed to be intuitive, easy to use and highly visual, so that the greatest number of men possible, from all ages and backgrounds, can access and benefit from its resources.

The simple analogy at the core of malehealth.ie’s structure compares the male body with a car. Just as the different components of a car require separate care and attention, so the different parts of the male body have varying needs and vulnerabilities, which change throughout the course of a man’s life.

The graphic used to navigate the website is called the Spannerman, depicting a male anatomy model. You can select the part of the body you’re interested in finding out more about by clicking on the relevant area of the Spannerman.

For example, type II diabetes typically affects men in their 40s and upwards; therefore, if you select the 40-49 age range and click on the waist region of the Spannerman, type II diabetes will be one of the health topics featured on the list of options. You can then click through to the website of a partner organisaton (in this case, Diabetes Ireland). Meanwhile, users who select the 20-29 age range will get information on type I diabetes instead – more common in this age group.

Malehealth.ie launch

Dublin’s City Hall has witnessed many a spectacle over the centuries, but seldom can one man have commanded its rotunda with as much assurance as TP O’Gorman of Kilbeggan Men’s Shed. The Westmeath native was addressing an audience of 100 representatives from Ireland’s foremost health organisations at the launch of malehealth.ie. O’Gorman gave a witty and moving speech which drew on the day’s overarching theme – the extraordinary effect men’s sheds have had on their members’ wellness.

“The men’s shed is an inherently healthy place,” TP told the gathering. “Men who might have lapsed into bad habits or inactivity find themselves invigorated by the shed. And it’s not just the men who benefit – I hear all the time from families of shedders who tell me that their dad, or granddad or uncle is a different person since joining the shed; brighter, livelier, more enthusiastic.”

TP also reminded attendees that when it comes to men’s health, “raising awareness and providing support and encouragement is much more effective than wagging fingers”.

At the same event, RTÉ’s Marty Morrissey recounted a recent minor health scare as evidence of the site’s potential to reach and inform men of all ages. The broadcaster also lamented the loss of community in the country: “Loneliness in Ireland is a terrible thing,” said Morrissey. “People don’t call in to see one another as much as they used to, we’ve lost that sense of community. The men’s sheds are bringing that back.”

Minister of State for Disability Issues, Finian McGrath TD, gave the keynote address at the launch. He described the website as “an open door inviting men to take better care of their health and well-being”. He laid out the stark statistics which underscore the importance of raising health awareness among men, with Irish men’s lifespans remaining, on average, four to five years shorter than those of Irish women.

The minister described the launch of malehealth.ie as “a key milestone in the journey of men’s sheds”.

The task of walking attendees through the website fell to Edel Byrne, IMSA health and well-being coordinator.

“What we’re seeking to do with malehealth.ie is to harness all this learning, all those resources and all that expertise to offer men a different model of engagement,” she said. “Through our work with men’s sheds over the past six years, we know that Irish men, understandably, respond best when they feel comfortable, involved and in control of their environment.” CL