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Men are a hard-to-reach group in the promotion of modifiable behaviors such as physical activity. Examining the individual differences among men that might predict positive behavior changes could support customization of health promotion programs. This study examined the role of emotional outlook, positive emotion, and ego-resilience in determining men's physical activity and health-related quality of life following implementation of a gender-sensitive workplace health intervention. Using a pre-post within-subjects design, computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) was used to collect measures of emotion and ego-resilience along with physical activity and health-related quality of life (using the 12-item short form [SF-12]) at baseline ( n = 139) and after 6 months ( n = 80) from adult men ( M age = 43.7, SD = 12.5). Baseline emotional outlook and ego-resilience were both positively related to increased physical activity at follow-up among men. Emotional outlook and positive emotion were positively related to ego-resilience, and ego-resilience mediated the relationship between these and the physical component of health-related quality of life. Workplace health interventions that incorporate the promotion of personal resources hold potential for greater impacts.

The objective was to describe the health literacy of a sample of Canadian men with prostate cancer and explore whether sociodemographic and health factors were related to men's health literacy scores. A sample of 213 Canadian men (M age = 68.71 years, SD = 7.44) diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited from an online prostate cancer support website. The men completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire along with demographic, comorbidity, and prostate cancer treatment–related questions online. Of the 5-point scales, men's health literacy scores were highest for "Understanding health information enough to know what to do" (M = 4.04, SD = 0.48) and lowest for "Navigating the health care system" (M = 3.80, SD = 0.58). Of the 4-point scales, men's scores were highest for "Feeling understood and supported by health care professionals" (M = 3.20, SD = 0.52) and lowest for "Having sufficient information to manage my health" (M = 2.97, SD = 0.46). Regression analyses indicated that level of education was positively associated with health literacy scores, and men without comorbidities had higher health literacy scores. Age and years since diagnosis were unrelated to health literacy. Support in health system navigation and self-management of health may be important targets for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The workplace provides an important setting to promote men's mental health, yet few studies have explored the gendered views of men and workplace representatives in male-dominated industries about workplace mental health promotion. Consultations with working men (N = 23) and interviews with seven representatives from male-dominated industries in northern British Columbia, Canada were conducted. Findings highlight the impact of masculine workplace cultures on men's mental health and practices that limit men's disclosures about vulnerabilities, as well as discussions about promoting mental health. Within such milieus a healthy mind was viewed as vital for workplace safety. Participant recommendations focused on reducing stigma, promoting enjoyable activities, and creating sustainable efforts toward building social cohesion. Overall, efforts to promote mental health in male-dominated industries should be tailored for the unique needs of men and should include paid time to engage in wellness activities and positive strategies that facilitate group comradery. Given male-dominated workplaces in particular constitute unique contexts where adherence to masculine ideals is normed, the findings hold potential for advancing mental health promotion programs designed to reach men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing need for mental health promotion strategies that effectively engage men. Although researchers have examined the effectiveness of diverse mental wellness interventions in male-dominated industries, and reviewed suicide prevention, early intervention, and health promotion interventions for boys and men, few have focused on sex-specific program effects. The purpose of this review was to (a) extend the previous reviews to examine the effectiveness of mental health promotion programs in males, and (b) evaluate the integration of gender-specific influences in the content and delivery of men’s mental health promotion programs. A search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and EMBASE databases for articles published between January 2006 and December 2016 was conducted. Findings from the 25 included studies indicated that a variety of strategies offered within (9 studies) and outside (16 studies) the workplace show promise for promoting men’s mental health. Although stress was a common area of focus (14 studies), the majority of studies targeted multiple outcomes, including some indicators of positive well-being such as self-efficacy, resilience, self-esteem, work performance, and happiness/quality of life. The majority of programs were offered to both men and women, and six studies explicitly integrated gender-related influences in male-specific programs in ways that recognized men’s interests and preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]