Abstract of Paper for the 5th National Rural Health Conference
MAN Model - Pathway to Men's/Boy's Health

Our paper will highlight the MAN model, which develops partnerships with Health Providers, Community Groups and Community organizations to meet the needs in their community focusing on men, families and boys.

The MAN model adopts a Best Practice and Evidence Based approach with projects that successfully stimulate community response by "confronting" men at culturally relevant health nights and identifying the health issues of major concern in any given rural population. Over time large numbers of men became involved in follow-up sessions. This has had a significant impact on the expectations for health care within local rural communities. This is demonstrated by an increase in male participation rates at local GP practices and Community Health Centres, providing some limited practical verification of Syme's 1997 observations.

Since these initial health sessions MAN has provided ongoing advice and support to many rural communities in developing other initiatives and sessions to address identified health issues for men. We have been able to provide this assistance, as we are a rurally based enterprise that is highly skilled at enhancing key partnerships and intersectoral collaborations between health providers in rural communities.

As a result of the success of MAN in providing ongoing support and advice to develop men's health in other communities, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services has funded us to undertake a Rural Health Support, Education and Training (RHSET) project. The project has helped develop (in partnerships) men's health programs in Albury/Wodonga, Laura in South Australia, Emerald and Biloela, Central Queensland and at Shepparton, where we are piloting the MAN model to address Koori Men's Health. A key aspect of the project is not only to facilitate men's health in selected rural communities, taking into account the local culture, but also to train workers in these communities so that they in turn may develop and support initiatives in other rural communities within their State.

The Department of Human Services, Health Enhancement Unit in Victoria has initiated a Rural Men's Health Project that has been implemented in nine communities across rural Victoria. MAN was instrumental in encouraging and providing evaluated best practice approaches to health promotion, which helped encourage this Government initiative.

Other initiatives of MAN have been "Kidsafe on the Farm"; "Lifeskills for Adolescent Boys in Secondary Schools"(at Whitehills Secondary College, Bendigo, Daylesford Secondary College); Workplace Men's Health Programs (at Daylesford and the City of Ballarat); and Skills Enhancement for GP's and Health Practitioners (on behalf of the Central Queensland Rural Division of General Practice).

Our future is to develop our skills; our information and research base so that we maintain a Best Practice Approach by utilising the services of LaTrobe University, Bendigo. Our collaborative paper, with LaTrobe University(CRAAH…Dr.Michele Gibson), includes a comparison of the results from our rural, remote rural and urban projects with data, research, academic discussion and evaluation. This will enable others to adopt, based on community research, a best practice model approach to community health

This is especially relevant to rural communities where health services and GP's are limited and isolated. We offer communities an alternative by addressing their health issues through raising their awareness and participation in a variety of programs that meet their needs.