Australia's national men's health policy: masculinity matters.
OBJECTIVE
The development of Australia's first national men's health policy provides an important opportunity for informed discussions of health and gender. It is therefore a concern that the stated policy appears to deliberately exclude hegemonic masculinity and other masculinities, despite evidence of their major influence on men's health-related values, beliefs, perspectives, attitudes, motivations and behaviour.


METHODS
We provide an evidence-based critique of the proposed approach to a national men's health policy which raises important questions about whether the new policy can achieve its aims if it fails to acknowledge 'masculinity' as a key factor in Australian men's health.


CONCLUSIONS
The national men's health policy should be a means to encourage gender analysis in health. This will require recognition of the influence of hegemonic masculinity, and other masculinities, on men's health. Recognising the influence of 'masculinity' on men's health is not about 'blaming' men for 'behaving badly', but is crucial to the development of a robust, meaningful and comprehensive national men's health policy.
Saunders
Margo
M
Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men's Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia. margos@aapt.net.au
Peerson
Anita
A
D001315:Australia; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D005783:Gender Identity; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male