The state of Men’s Health in the Nordic Countries- Is there a Nordic welfare model for today’s men? Svend Aage Madsen Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark Alan White Leeds Metropolitan University

1. The state of Men’s Health in
the Nordic Countries
- Is there a Nordic welfare
model for today’s men?
Svend Aage Madsen
Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark
Alan White
Leeds Metropolitan University
Svend Aage Madsen

2. Svend Aage Madsen

3. The State of
Men’s Health in Europe
The report on “The State of Men’s Health in Europe” is
commissioned by The EU Commission, D-G Health & Consumers
The writing team
• Prof. Alan White Leeds Metropolitan University
• Prof. Witold Zatonski Centrum Onkologii-Institut
• Prof. Peter Makara University of Debrecen
• Dr Bruno de Sousa Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical
• Dr Richard de Visser University of Sussex
• Dr Svend Aage Madsen Copenhagen University Hospital
• Dr Noel Richardson Dept of Health and Children

4. Where are the Nordic men?
Total number of
women per 100 men
15-64 years
> 106
102 – 106
98 –102
94 – 98
90 – 94
< 90
Svend Aage Madsen

5. - And the Nordic women?
Total number of
women per 100 men
15-64 years
> 106
102 – 106
98 –102
94 – 98
90 – 94
< 90
Svend Aage Madsen

6. Life Expectancy
in Europe and The Nordic countries
90
85
80
Age
75
Male
70
Female
65
60
IT
MT
PT
BG
LT
LU
HU
EU27
IS
ES
DK
MK
NO
FR
HR
SK
LI
NL
EL
FI
SI
CZ
PL
RO
LV
CH
SE
CY
AT
DE
IE
BE
EE
UK
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

7. Life Expectancy in The North
90
85
80
2008 Men Women
EU27 76,1 82,2
Age
75
Male
Female
IS 80,0 83,3
70 SE 79,2 83,3
NO 78,4 83,2
65
FI 76,5 83,3
60
DK 76,5 80,0
EU27 IS SE NO FI DK
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

9. Sex differences in life expectancy
The Nordic countries
90
Women-Men
Difference
85
8
7
80
6
Age
75
Male 5
Female
4 Women-Men
70
Difference
3
65
2
1
60
EU27 IS SE NO FI DK
0
Country EU27 IS SE NO FI DK
Svend Aage Madsen

10. Cardio Vascular Disease mortality
Age standardised mortality for CVD, by sex and country, all ages
Per 100,000
900
800
700
600
500
400
Male
300 Female
200
100
0
AT
CY
HU
LU
EU27
MK
DK
UK
LV
HR
IS
ES
RO
NO
PL
FI
SI
EL
NL
CH
EE
BE
IE
BG
LT
MT
DE
SE
PT
IT
SK
FR
CZ
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

11. Cardio Vascular Diseases mortality
Per 100,000
350
300
Men Women
250
EU27 286,0 188,3
200 FI 298,7 164,1
150
Male SE 252,2 158,6
Female
DK 244,3 154,5
100
IS 217,7 135,5
50 NO 213,8 129,8
0
EU27 FI SE Country
DK IS NO
Svend Aage Madsen

12. Cancer mortality
Age standardised death rates for cancer, by sex
and country, all ages, latest year
Svend Aage Madsen

13. Cancer mortality in the North
300,0
250,0
Men Women Difference
200,0
EU27 228,7 131,5 96,8
150,0 Male
DK 245,9 182,2 63,7
Female
NO 195,9 137,4 58,8
100,0
SE 172,0 134,1 37,9
FI 171,9 113,9 58,0
50,0
IS 170,8 151,8 19,0
0,0
EU27 DK NO SE FI IS
Svend Aage Madsen

14. Overweight and Obesity in
Europe and The North
80
70
60
50
Percentage
40
30
20
10
0
Country
Overweight & obese men (BMI > 25), by country, 2004
Svend Aage Madsen

15. Overweight and obese men
in The North
BMI>25
70
60
50 EU MEDIAN 55,2
40
IS 58,4
FI 57,5
30 Series1
SE 50,8
20 DK 49,6
10 NO 37,7
0
Svend Aage Madsen

16. Diabetes mortality
Age standardised death rate for Diabetes mellitus, by sex and
country, all ages, latest year
Per 100,000
45
40
35
30
25
20
Male
15
Female
10
5
0
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

17. Proportion of male Daily smokers
60
Proportion of daily smokers
50
40
30
20
10
0
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

18. Chronic liver disease
Age standardised death rates for Chronic liver disease, by sex and
country, all ages
Per 100,000
80
70
60
50
40
30 Male
20 Female
10
0
LT
PT
IT
HU
SK
HR
FR
ES
IS
NO
SI
FI
CZ
NL
EE
IE
BG
AT
MT
CY
SE
LU
EU27
DK
UK
MK
RO
LV
PL
EL
CH
DE
BE
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

19. Death rates for ‘Mental and behavioural
disorders due to use of alcohol’
Age standardised death rates for Mental and behavioural disorders
due to use of alcohol
Per 100,000
25
20
15
10 Male
Female
5
0
HR
ES
NO
NL
AT
SE
LT
PT
CY
BG
IT
MT
HU
LU
UK
EU27
DK
MK
FR
LV
IS
PL
SI
FI
RO
CZ
EL
CH
EE
DE
BE
IE
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

20. Self perceived health
Self perceived health – good and very good health, ages 55-
64 years, by sex and country, 2008
80
70
60
Men Women
EU27 52,5 51
50 IS 76 70
40 Men
SE 75 69,5
Women DK 70 61
30
NO 70 60
20
FI 50 52
10
0
EU27 IS SE DK NO FI
Svend Aage Madsen

21. Life Expectancy in The North
90
85
80
Male Female
EU27 76,1 82,2
Age
75
Male
Female
IS 80 83,3
70 SE 79,2 83,3
NO 78,4 83,2
65
FI 76,5 83,3
60
DK 76,5 80
EU27 IS SE NO FI DK
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

22. Hospital admission due to Mood affective disorders
20
18
16
14
Per 1000 population
12
10
Male
8
Female
6
4
2
0
LT
IT
PT
HU
SK
LV
HR
IS
FR
ES
NO
FI
CZ
SI
NL
PL
CH
DE
AT
BE
IE
CY
LU
UK
DK
Country
Svend Aage Madsen

23. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
EU27
LT
LV
HU
SI
Per 100,000
EE
FI
BE
HR
PL
FR
CH
AT
CZ
LU
SK
RO
Country
IS
SE
DK
BG
Svend Aage Madsen
DE
Suicides
IE
NO
MK
MT
NL
PT
ES
UK
IT
CY
GR
Male
Female

24. How does the Nordic welfare model
cope with today’s men’s challenges?
• In all Nordic countries men have markedly
higher occurrences and higher mortality rates
for nearly all diseases
• - and lower life expentacy
• There are a lot of similarities
• However there are also big differences
• In some instances there is no ‘Nordic Welfare
Model’

25. Recommendations for actions 1
• Recognition of men’s physical and mental
health as an area of public health concern
in the Nordic countries
• Inclusion of men’s health within decision
making
• Monitoring of the effects of the post
industrial Nordic societies on the health
and wellbeing of men and boys
Svend Aage Madsen

26. Svend Aage Madsen

27. Recommendations for actions 2
Each Nordic country should develop a Men’s Health
Policy - As well as a women’s health policy:
a) Action plans to tackle men’s high rates of
premature mortality
b) Preventative and health promotion programmes
targeting men
c) - with a specific focus on vulnerable male
subpopulations: young men, lower socio-
economic group men, ethnic minority men
d) Provide an increased focus on workplace health
Svend Aage Madsen

28. Thank you!
Svend Aage Madsen