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Men's Sheds function and philosophy: towards a framework for future research and men's health promotion
Author(s) -
Wilson Nathan J.,
Cordier Reinie,
Doma Kenji,
Misan Gary,
Vaz Sharmila
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he14052
Subject(s) - population health , health economics , health promotion , function (biology) , public health , promotion (chess) , community health , public relations , quality of life research , medicine , political science , gerontology , sociology , engineering ethics , nursing , engineering , law , evolutionary biology , politics , biology
Issue addressed The Men's Shed movement supports a range of men's health promotion initiatives. This paper examines whether a Men's Shed typology could inform future research and enable more efficient and targeted health promotion activities through Men's Sheds. Methods The International Men's Shed Survey consisted of a cross‐sectional exploration of sheds, their members, and health and social activities. Survey data about shed ‘function’ and ‘philosophy’ were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results A framework of Men's Sheds based on function and philosophy demonstrated that most sheds serve a primary utility function, a secondary social function, but most importantly a primary social opportunity philosophy. Sheds with a primary health philosophy participated in fewer health promotion activities when compared with sheds without a primary health philosophy. Conclusions In addition to the uniform health promotion resources distributed by the Men's Shed associations, specific health promotion activities, such as prostate education, are being initiated from an individual shed level. This framework can potentially be used to enable future research and health promotion activities to be more efficiently and effectively targeted.