Further Key Statistics about Men

This information relates to the affects of external issues on individuals suffering from a mental health disorder. The data discusses how factors such as employment can affect a person's mental health and also the affects on employment of someone already suffering from an illness. Although surveys suggest men are less likely than women to develop a mental health issue, there are still millions of men in distress all over the world.

Employment

Over the last 40 years there have been dramatic changes in patterns of employment in the UK. Mining, steel manufacturing, ship-building and other heavy industries, which traditionally employed men, have closed, while the newly created jobs have tended to be in the service sector, often seen as ‘women’s work’. [14]

Between 1959 and 1999 there was a 15 per cent drop in the number of men in employment. During the same period, there was a 22 per cent increase in the number of women in work.[15] The unemployment rate for men is three times that of women. In the age group 18 to 24, there are over three males to one female who have been unemployed for a year or more. The longer the period of unemployment, the wider the gap becomes between men and women.[16]

Race is also an important factor in relation to male unemployment. The unemployment rate for black and minority ethnic men is higher than for white men. The gender imbalance in patterns of employment is also reflected across all ethnic groups. [17]

There is growing evidence that unemployment has an impact on mental health. Recent research has shown that approximately one in seven men who become unemployed will develop a depressive illness in the next six months. [18] Professor Glyn Lewis, from the University of Wales, and Dr Andy Sloggett, from the London School of Tropical Medicine, studied data on suicides occurring between 1983 and 1992. [19] They found that unemployment was associated with a doubling of the suicide rate. They also found that lack of job security was a risk factor. Their research suggests that “Employment may have a particularly important role in defining an individual’s place in the community, and unemployment could lead to alienation from the rest of society. This study provides strong support for the possibility that reduction in unemployment would also reduce rates of suicide.”

Education

In recent years there has been a decline in boys’ attainment levels at school, a fact that has been noted in almost all industrial countries. Teachers point out that boys are often unmotivated, lack confidence, see learning as un-masculine, and are depressed and demoralised about their future. According to national statistics, only nine per cent of 14-year-old boys nationwide get grades in the range A to C in English. [20]

Research has shown that when boys and girls are misbehaving equally, boys receive more frequent and severe penalties. Boys, particularly low-achievers, receive eight to ten times more reprimands than their female classmates. These reprimands are more likely to occur in front of classmates, whereas girls are more likely to be taken aside to be reprimanded. [21]

Criminal justice system

The summary of a recent Home Office research study [22] states that: “A superficial examination of the criminal statistics suggests that, for virtually every type of offence, women are treated more leniently than men.”

The study reveals major differences in the use of non-custodial penalties for men and women. Women were consistently more likely than men to be discharged, even when their circumstances appeared, on the basis of available data, entirely comparable. As well as being generally less likely to receive a custodial sentence than men, women also tend to receive shorter terms of imprisonment.

Men make up approximately 96 per cent of the prison population in the UK. [23] A recent survey carried out by the Office for National Statistics found that a large proportion of prisoners have mental health problems, particularly those on remand.[24] 58 per cent of male remand prisoners were assessed as having significant neurotic symptoms, compared to 39 per cent of sentenced men. Over 20 per cent of male prisoners reported attempting suicide at some point in their lives, and two per cent reported attempting suicide in the week preceding their interview.

Random samples of one in five of those interviewed were selected for an additional interview with a psychiatrist to assess their mental health state. In these interviews, ten per cent of men on remand and seven per cent of sentenced men were assessed as having a functional psychosis, in the year prior to interview. These rates for psychosis are considerably higher than that for the general population which stands at 0.4 per cent. The survey found 75 per cent of men on remand, and almost 65 per cent of sentenced men were diagnosed as having a personality disorder.

The suicide rate among male prisoners is six times higher than among males in the general population. In 2003, there were 94 suicides in prisons in England and Wales, 80 of which were males. 19 per cent of prison suicides were young men under the age of 21.[25]

Violence against men

Violence against men exceeds violence against women in every category, apart from sexual assault and domestic violence. Sixty eight per cent of all homicide victims are male. Both male and female murderers are more likely to kill males than females. Mothers are more likely to kill their sons than their daughters. [26]

The British Crime Survey 2001/2 states that the overall risk of being a victim of violent crime is four per cent in the general population. However, young men aged 16 to 24 were identified as being most at risk, with 16.2 per cent experiencing a violent crime of some sort in the year. [27]

There is a common myth about domestic violence, that the vast majority of the time women are the victims and men are the perpetrators. However, some studies of domestic violence show a roughly equal balance between the genders. The British Crime Survey [28] shows that reporting of domestic violence against the person is much higher amongst women (81 per cent compared to 19 per cent of men). However, the self-completion module of British Crime Survey reports that 4.2 per cent of women and 4.2 per cent of men said they had been the victims of domestic violence in the past year. [29] The issue of willingness to disclose/report incidents is very important; these statistics would suggest that men are far less likely than women to report instances of domestic violence.

It must also be stated that although men are just as likely to be victims of domestic violence, women are twice as likely to have been injured than men, and women are more likely to have been assaulted three or more times. [30]

(Statistics from Mind.org.uk)

Men suffering the effects of rape and sexual abuse often develop other mental illnesses or turn to substance abuse in order to try and deal with the event. Attempting suicide is also common because they cannot come to terms with what has happened to them. Statistics for rape and abuse of males are often too low as many victims keep the experience to themselves out of fear of how others will judge.

Male rape and sexual abuse

The 1999 Royal College of Nursing Congress called for the government to address urgently the lack of services for and information on male rape. [31] The Congress voted almost unanimously for a resolution urging further research into this neglected area. Male rape has only been acknowledged as a crime since 1994.

Many myths persist about male rape, for instance, that only gay men are raped, and that it only affected the weak. This can increase the trauma suffered by victims of male rape. Home Office statistics for 1997 show that 342 men were raped that year. This is almost certainly a huge under-estimate, as many male rape victims are extremely reluctant to report such attacks to the police.

Many men who have been raped display symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Many have tried to kill themselves, and many have turned to alcohol and drugs to help them cope with the experience. Male victims may be left doubting their sexuality, fearing sex, and may have difficulty forming relationships afterwards. It is difficult for men to access support if they have experienced rape as most rape crisis services are not accessible to men.

Therapists working with men who were sexually abused in childhood have conducted clinical case studies and consistently report long-term problems. These include guilt and self-blame, low self-esteem and negative self-image, problems with intimacy, sexual problems, compulsions or dysfunctions, substance abuse and depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. [32]

Some of the long-term effects of sexual abuse are related to the development of gender identity. Studies indicate that male survivors of child sexual abuse may attempt to ‘prove’ their masculinity by having multiple female sexual partners. They may sexually victimise others and/or engage in dangerous or violent behaviours. They may develop confusion over their gender and sexual identities, have a sense of being inadequate as a man and/or have a sense of lost power, control and confidence in their manhood. [33] They may also fear that the sexual abuse has caused them, or will cause them, to become homosexual. [34]

Physical causes of men’s mental distress

Physical illness can be a major contributory factor in men developing emotional problems. Physical illnesses, especially long-term conditions, and hospital stays can lead to depression in men.

Cholesterol and depression

Recent research in Finland [35] studied 30,000 men over an eight year period. Their findings established a link between cholesterol and depression. Compared to men with high cholesterol, men with low cholesterol were nearly twice as likely to be at risk of depression and suicide. Among the 280 men who were treated for depression in hospital, a link between low cholesterol and poor mental health was established. A further 111 men committed suicide, and in these cases, researchers found a ‘significant association’ between low cholesterol and severe depression.

Heart disease and depression

Researchers from the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham have found that men who are depressed are three times more likely to develop heart disease. These findings have been confirmed by research in America. [36] The researchers suggest a number of possible explanations for the link. Depression may lead to unhealthy lifestyles, such as failure to take exercise or an increase in smoking, which could increase strain on the cardio-vascular system. It is thought that some antidepressant drugs can pose problems. Being depressed also impacts on the nervous system, with a knock-on effect on the heart, and can alter the balance of chemicals in the body.

The reason that the link between depression and heart disease appears to only exist in men is unclear, although men appear to be more sensitive to chemical changes in the body. Conversely, the study also found that men with heart disease had an increased chance of depression after developing heart disease. The researchers also question whether GPs are less likely to recognise or diagnose depression in men unless it appears to be particularly severe.

(Statistics from Mind.org.uk)

To find out more information about abuse please see our Abuse section. For details on depression click here. For all other areas relating to mental health and disorders please go to our Types of Distress section.