Improving men’s health in Ireland: building capacity among front-line health workers to engage men: good practice brief

ABSTRACT

Noncommunicable diseases are the leading cause of death and disability among men in Ireland and are underpinned by men’s poorer lifestyle behaviours and underutilization of health services. Ireland’s National Men’s Health Policy (2008–2013) identified building capacity among front-line service providers as an essential but neglected component of developing effective strategies for engaging men in self-care.In order to tackle this deficit in gender sensitive service provision for men, ENGAGE, Ireland’s National Men’s Health Training programme, was developed. The comprehensive one day training is based on an experiential learning and reflective practice approach, combined with mechanisms for feedback and peer support during and beyond training. ENGAGE has improved service providers’ knowledge, skills and capacity to engage and work with men and to deliver more gender-competent health services and programmes; boosted community outreach programmes to priority groups of men; and influenced the development of gender sensitive service provision.