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Summer 2010 | Vol 13 No 4

Note from the Editor

Whose health should we worry about most – men’s or women’s? Feminists have long called for more sensitive and appropriate health care for women. Yet around the world, men die sooner than women. They have higher rates of smoking, alcohol use issues and heart disease. And they are much more likely to kill themselves.

But it’s not a matter of competing interests. If a gender perspective reveals inequities for women, it can also identify areas of concern for men. Research shows that biological and socially constructed differences between women and men contribute to gender differences in the nature of health problems, health-seeking behaviour and responses of health care providers. The men’s health movement that emerged in the 1990s owes a debt to feminism, which developed this gendered way of looking at the world. So the point isn’t to determine who is more deserving of attention. The point is that both men and women suffer when health care professionals and policymakers fail to understand how gender influences health and health care.

This issue of CrossCurrents examines male experiences of mental health and addiction issues. It also explores unique opportunities to meet the needs of men. Our stories cover depression and masculinity, as well as depression among new fathers. And speaking of fathers, we profile a unique smoking cessation intervention that targets new dads – a departure from the traditional focus on mothers and smoking. You can also read about an Aboriginal men’s shelter, where our writer spent an inspiring day with staff and some of the men. You can also take inspiration from a story about men’s sheds, a growing movement in Australia that holds promise for promoting men’s well-being beyond that country’s borders. Another story profiles a “power couple” that went from abuse to educating and counselling others about domestic violence. Finally, turn to the Last Word column, where Ramona Alaggia, a social work professor at the University of Toronto, tackles the “gender symmetry” debate around male victimization.

Hema Zbogar
tel 416 595-6714
hema_zbogar@camh.net