title: Mental health and wellbeing: focus on men's health.
abstract: All nurses have a responsibility to ensure that they actively promote both mental and physical health and wellbeing. This article aims to bring together current thinking and evidence about nursing and men's mental health promotion. Key areas of concern outlined are the high rate of suicide in men, the expression of depression in men and the problems of masculinity when related to seeking help for mental health. The article highlights the importance of language and the normalising of distressing feelings when working with men and suggests that nurses need to recognise how men can experience depression differently, actively identify and address suicidal thinking, and provide gender-sensitive interventions. Additionally, nurses working with men need to demonstrate 'male-positive' values and offer future-focused and action-oriented interventions (such as solution-focused, coaching or cognitive behavioural therapy approaches) that contribute to a sense of agency, promote hope and are more engaging for many men.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer Mental Health & Psychological Therapies, School of Health and Community Studies, Workplace Coach, Leeds Beckett University and Visiting Nurse Therapist, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.affiliation: Professor of Men, Gender and Health and Co-Director, Centre for Men's Health, Leeds Beckett University.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057228:Masculinity; D054526:Men's Health; D008603:Mental Health; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012737:Sex Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Action-oriented interventions; Depression; Future-focused interventions; Gender-sensitive; Male suicide; Men's mental health promotion