AIM

To explore men's health status and lifestyle risk profile and understand how they engage with preventive health care.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey within a sequential mixed-methods project.

METHODS

Four hundred thirty-one adult males, working or volunteering for the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) completed the survey between September and November 2022. The survey captured demographic data, health status and lifestyle characteristics, as well as engagement with preventive health care.

RESULTS

Nearly three-quarters of respondents (n = 314; 72.8%) described themselves as being in good or very good health. Just 18.6% of respondents recorded a 'healthy' body mass index (BMI), despite only 29.9% having been told by a doctor that they were overweight/obese. Most (n = 344; 79.8%) respondents identified having a regular general practitioner (GP)/general practice. Nearly all respondents described having had blood pressure measurements (n = 403; 93.5%) and lipid profile (n = 346, 80.3%) in the last 2 years. Having a regular GP/general practice was significantly associated with engaging in all preventive and screening activities, except having a dental check.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate a significant opportunity to support men to reduce lifestyle risk, despite their current engagement with general practice. Strategies need to support men and health professionals to have conversations about risk and risk reduction to promote behaviour change. Nurses are well placed to provide preventive health care to men in general practice. The general practice nurse has a key role in communicating lifestyle risk, supporting patients in modifying their behaviours and reducing the impact of such factors on their health and well-being.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Communicating the importance of lifestyle risk factors is imperative in supporting men to achieve behavioural change in the reduction in lifestyle risk. Nurses are well-placed to take a leading role in this area.

REPORTING METHOD

The STROBE checklist guided reporting.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Survey development was undertaken in collaboration with members of the NSW RFS. Key contacts within the organisation were involved in reviewing the analysis and interpretation of findings.