A different framework for looking at men’s health

The writing and research on male health has demonstrably two distinct strands, one clinical and another which we could call "social/behavioural". These approaches are limited. The clinical/medical perspective has often had a somewhat narrow focus on prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction and other male-specific pathologies. The social/behavioural focus has tended to look at men’s health-damaging behaviour, often based on the sociology of masculinity. A fresh approach is presented here, one based on the large body of research on the social determinants of health as well as on a strength-based (salutogenic) approach to male health.