Men's health

“Men have heart attacks …”

First guide to men’s health published in clear language

To date, there has been very little gender-specific health information for men that goes beyond erectile dysfunction and six-pack exercises. Men who are at all interested in how to stay fit and healthy generally belong to the well-informed middle or upper classes. There is currently no easily understandable information available for men with a low level of education. Yet it is precisely this group that faces a particularly high risk of falling ill and dying prematurely. Life expectancy among socially disadvantaged men in Germany is the lowest, and their state of health the poorest, as numerous reports on poverty and health consistently demonstrate.

That is why we have now published the ‘Checkheft Gesundheit’ (currently only in German) with the support of AOK Berlin and the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Berlin. This eye-catching, handy pocket-sized booklet provides men with information and tips on health risks and preventative measures in a concise, clear format.

The authors are the technical director of Mann-O-Meter, Dipl.-Pych. Marcus Behrens, and the health scientist and freelance specialist journalist Martin Franke. They produced the leaflet in collaboration with the Berlin-based designer Carsten Filor and with medical advice. In presenting the content, they placed particular emphasis on using simple language and a design tailored to the target audience. In a pre-test, male prisoners at a correctional facility in Berlin tested and assessed the clarity of the information.

The booklet comprises 16 pages and is available free of charge to Berlin-based organisations working with the target group. It can be requested from Mann-O-Meter, Bülowstr. 106, 10783 Berlin, subject to reimbursement of postage costs, or collected directly from there.