The study was led by Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, Geriatrician and the Michel Saucier Endowed Chair in Geriatric Pharmacology, Health and Aging at the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM), which is affiliated with the Université de Montréal.
In 2005, results of a similar survey questioning the health concerns of older Canadian women was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The researchers found that quality of life and ailments that risk compromising independence were among the health issues of greatest concern to men:
* 64% of survey respondents were concerned about memory loss
* 63% were concerned about medication side effects
* 64% were concerned about mobility impairments
* 51% were worried about falls
* 61% were concerned about vision loss
* 52% were concerned about hearing loss
However, older men do not seem to be receiving adequate health information from health practitioners on the issues of most concern to them. With the exception of providing information about medication side effects, only a few men revealed that they had received counseling on methods to prevent, screen, and treat health-related conditions that could pose risk to their mental and physical health.
Only 13% of older men reported that their health practitioners discussed risk factors and screening for mobility impairment, and information regarding memory loss was discussed with just 9% of older men.
In addition, results from the survey show vital information gaps for depression. Only 9.5% of men revealed that their health care provided discussed depression with them, 13.5% osteoporosis, 16% Alzheimer's disease, 12% end-of-life care, 18% incontinence, and 17% anxiety. As a result of the stigma that surrounds incontinence, many patients are unwilling to bring up this issue on their own.
Over 80% of the men reported that their health care provider provided information, screening or treatment for health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, prostate disease, and pneumonia.
Dr. Cara Tannenbaum, the geriatrician who led the study, was shocked to discover the disparity between what these men want and what they appear to be receiving from health care professionals.
Tannenbaum, explained:
"It is time for the health care system to invest in strategies for older adults to preserve their autonomy, mental health and well-being. As older men and women's health priorities become better understood, a shift in the way health care is delivered and reimbursed will be required.
More time is needed during the patient's health care encounter to provide individualized counseling about exercise, nutrition, bladder, and brain health in old age. Incontinence post-prostatectomy is becoming more frequent and has a devastating impact on a man's self-esteem and sexual function.
Depression and anxiety, resulting from sensory impairments or the loss of loved ones, and the resultant social isolation that can ensue, are also important issues for men that need to be addressed in order to promote continue independence and quality of life.
Increased awareness of these issues through public health campaigns or accredited information on a website for seniors will have to be developed to inform the population of age-related health challenges and how they can be appropriately managed."
In collaboration with the Fonds de recherche du Québec, Société et culture (FRQSC), the Quebec ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS), recently requested that studies be conducted in order to better understand men's views of their life concerns as a function of their social roles throughout their life. The goal for Quebec is to identify the difficulties men face for overcoming their stressors, and to meet their needs by providing the necessary resources.
According to results from the 2005 Canadian survey on older women's top health concerns, men seem to have several of the same worries as women. However, for every health issue the researchers found that women worry more than men. For instance, 64% of men revealed that they were concerned about medication side effects, memory loss, and mobility problems, compared with 88% of older women about these same issues.
The researchers explain that these differences can be explained by women's tendency to be more preoccupied by health issues. This may be because of the caregiving roles they traditionally assume for their children, spouses, and parents.
In May, 2008, the researchers sent a survey to a random sample of 5,000 men in Canada, aged between 55 to 97 years old. Of these 5,000 men, 2,325 responded. Survey questions focused on 24 health issues of concern to men. Survey questions were collected from discussion groups with community-dwelling men, aged between 59 to 89 years old, enrolled from local community centers. The study, which received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, were published online on Early online.
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