The invisible man -- development of a national men's health training programme for public health practitioners: challenges and successes

To develop a national men's health training programme for healthcare and social care practitioners to address gender health inequalities and facilitate the effective delivery of health services to men.

A 1-day training course, that combined epidemiological data with the social and behavioural context of men's health behaviour and attitudes, was developed and delivered to 38 public health practitioners working in primary care trusts, local authorities and charities.

A post-training questionnaire was completed by all participants to evaluate the efficacy of the training, levels of satisfaction and impact on future work practice.

The training was well received and met participants' requirements in terms of content and delivery. The combination of clinical information, practical examples of men's health initiatives and interactive scenario-based tasks increased knowledge and assisted reflective practice. Following the training, all participants intended to adopt a male-gendered approach into their work practice, and stated that they would recommend the course to other public health colleagues.

The evaluation highlights the potential of delivering men's health training to increase public health practitioners' knowledge of men's health inequalities, and to promote the development of gender-sensitive services. Future development could incorporate a 'train the trainer' element to maximize capacity building and enhance sustainability. Longer-term follow-up may be required to determine the continuing impact on public health practice.