Inaugural “North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card” provides snapshot of most pressing issues affecting men statewide
June 28, 2024
The UNC Men’s Health Program and Carolina Demography have released a first-of-its-kind report to raise awareness and address disparities for health-related issues affecting men in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card
The North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card is a comprehensive health and demographic report that serves a complementary role to the existing Women’s Health Report Card from the Center for Women’s Health Research at UNC.
The Report Card draws from numerous sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the health landscape for men across the state. Its purpose is to highlight the challenges North Carolinians face and to empower researchers, health care providers, government officials, communities and individuals with the knowledge needed to advocate for the improved health of everyone in the state.
Improving health outcomes for all N.C. men and reducing health disparities is complex work that requires a full consideration of the many factors that shape men’s health. This report provides a clearer picture of the challenges being faced and serves as a resource for those working to make North Carolina healthier and more resilient.
NOTEWORTHY REPORT SECTIONS:
- Demographics: Race and ethnicity breakdown, population size, life expectancy of men, median age, age distribution
- Social determinants of health: Educational attainment, men incarcerated, percent with health insurance, men living below poverty line, marital status, median family size, median household income, median individual income
- Preventative health: Men who report: having had a routine checkup, dentist visit, prostate exam, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, pneumonia vaccination, flu shot, HPV vaccine, sleeping more than seven hours, participating in physical activities
- Health behavior: Youth risk behavior surveillance (sexual activity, sleep, television/computer use, smoking, drinking), substance use, opioid overdose deaths
- Mental health: Adverse childhood experiences, depression
- Chronic disease: Obesity, men who report having: cardiovascular disease, a heart attack, a stroke, asthma, skin cancer, COPD, emphysema, arthritis, depression, kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, men with multiple chronic diseases
- Cancer: Rates of cancer, lung cancer (with county-by-county map), prostate cancer (with county-by-county map)
- Infectious diseases: Sexually transmitted diseases (HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia), COVID-19 (including cases, deaths and vaccinations)
- External causes of death: Gun ownership, drug overdose, motor vehicle, suicide, homicide
- Aging: Health of the elderly population for men who report living: alone, in a nursing home, with a disability, with arthritis, gout, lupus, high blood pressure, cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline or diabetes
A CALL TO ACTION:
The UNC Men’s Health program and Carolina Demography envision the Report Card as a catalyst for positive change, urging local and state organizations, as well as the public, to advocate for enhanced access to screenings, monitoring and appropriate treatments.
REACHING BEYOND ADVOCACY: INTERACTIVE TOOL & COMMUNITY EVENTS
In addition to the new Men’s Health Report Card, the UNC Men’s Health Program has recently released the Prostate Cancer Across North Carolina tool. This unique, interactive tool provides a detailed county-by-county map view of prostate cancer cases and deaths throughout N.C., offering valuable insights for local and state organizations as well as the public. The map helps users access downloadable county-specific prostate cancer reports utilizing the latest data from the National Cancer Institute’s State Cancer Profiles (currently from 2016-2020).
Noteworthy State and County-specific Statistics from this Tool:
- New prostate cancer cases: 124 cases per 100,000 men statewide
- Deaths: 20 deaths per 100,000 men statewide
- Highest new cases per 100,000: Anson (171), Edgecombe (152), Halifax (152)
- Lowest new cases per 100,000: Graham (56), Gates (75), Wilkes (78)
- Highest deaths per 100,000: Hertford (32), Edgecombe (29), Halifax (29)
- Lowest deaths per 100,000: McDowell (12), Watauga (13), Lee (14)
Concerning Disparities:
Statewide Rankings: N.C. ranks 11th in the nation for new prostate cancer cases and 20th for deaths, making it the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the state, following lung cancer.
- Racial disparities: Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.3 times more likely to die from prostate cancer compared to white men. Native American men face similar disparities.
- Geographical variances: Anson, Edgecombe and Halifax counties report the highest number of new cases, while Graham, Gates and Wilkes report the lowest.
The Men’s Health Program has also hosted two men’s health community screening events. These events, called “Men, Know Your Numbers,” are focused on raising awareness and screening men for common health issues.
The most recent of these events was held on Feb. 10 in New Bern, N.C. and emphasized health concerns affecting Black men, particularly prostate cancer. Over 200 people attended the event, and highlights included:
- A distinguished panel, including basketball legend Phil Ford, community advocate Victor Taylor and insights from UNC urologist and Men’s Health Program Director Eric Wallen, MD.
- LabCorp, a key supporter, provided free blood draws onsite, assessing crucial health metrics such as PSA, hemoglobin A1C and cholesterol levels.
- The Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN) also contributed by providing educational materials.
- Local News Coverage from: NC Health News, WCTI 12 – ABC News, and WCTI 12 – ABC News
Future “Men, Know Your Numbers” screening events are currently being planned and will be publicized on the UNC Men’s Health program’s website at https://www.med.unc.edu/menshealth/know-your-numbers/.
SUPPORTING QUOTES:
“This report gives us a sense of the scope of health issues affecting men, which can also impact their families, jobs, and loved ones. My hope is that the report card serves as a springboard for discussions to improve health for men, families, communities and health systems.”
Director, UNC Men’s Health Program
Professor of Urology and Vice Chair of Education, UNC Department of Urology
“I am proud of this collaborative effort. I hope the report card will stimulate conversations and forge relationships with stakeholders to advance men’s health policy, research, and practice in N.C. ”
Nominated Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
“We are proud to announce the release of the 2024 North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card, a collaborative effort between Carolina Demography and the UNC Men’s Health Program. This report represents a significant step forward in understanding and addressing the complexities of men’s health in our state. We hope it will serve as a resource for policymakers, healthcare providers, community leaders, families, and individuals who are working to promote healthier outcomes for all men and reduce health disparities across N.C.”
Director, Carolina Demography
Carolina Population Center
“It is my hope that this report card heightens the awareness for preventable screenings and regular health care for men of all ages.”
Adriane Bowens
Program Manager, UNC Men’s Health Program
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES, CONTACT:
Bradd Pavur, APR
Communications, UNC Department of Urology
Adriane Bowens
Program Manager
UNC Men’s Health Program
Cell: 984-318-1984
Melody Kramer
Communications Director
Carolina Demography
For additional information, we invite you to learn more:
ABOUT THE UNC MEN’S HEALTH PROGRAM:
The UNC Men’s Health Program is part of the UNC Department of Urology (UNC Health) and aims to study and address health issues that impact men. Differences in health behaviors and differences between men and women in engaging in preventative screening and in seeking medical treatment have contributed to a widespread, silent health crisis among men in North Carolina. This comprehensive program brings together teams of physicians, scientists, public health leaders and specialists who are dedicated to addressing the health and well-being of men through coordinated clinical care, scientific research, and community outreach.
ABOUT CAROLINA DEMOGRAPHY:
Carolina Demography is the applied demography unit of the Carolina Population Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. Applied demographers work directly with the public to help answer questions like:
- How is our population changing?
- How do economic and social factors play a role in our communities?
- Which factors shape the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians?
Carolina Demography is made up of demographic researchers, evaluators, spatial analysts, coders, designers, and storytellers. Together, we provide you with the data and analysis you need to make sense of population-level changes. We are non-partisan, rigorous, and approachable: Our team pairs a wide array of demographic and research consulting services with your subject matter expertise, leaving you with the data and analysis you need to make informed decisions. For more information, please visit our website at: https://carolinademography.cpc.unc.edu/about/
Contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@unc.edu.
