THE Scottish Government has rejected calls for a men’s health strategy after a new report found that more than 35 men are dying prematurely a day in Scotland.
The five leading causes of premature mortality for men in Scotland are costing around £1.73 billion every year, the report from men’s health charity Movember said.
Of this around 90% is linked to preventable diseases and estimates the costs relating to pressure on the health service, as well as the wider consequences of lost work and earnings, and social care.
The study also found that men in Scotland are 50% more likely than women to die prematurely.
Movember has called on the Scottish Government to deliver an action plan for men’s health but the Public Health Minister has rejected this.
The report said that Scottish men’s commonest causes of death were coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, drug use disorder, lung cancer and stroke.
Scotland has the lowest male life expectancy of any UK nation and around four years less than a woman. Of those years, the average man is likely to spend just 59 in good health.
In 2024, 12,982 men died before reaching 75, accounting for more than two in every five male deaths. And men were 1.5 times more likely than women to die prematurely, a gap found in every Scottish Parliamentary constituency.
The report identified stark differences in men’s health between constituencies just a few miles apart. For instance, in 2024 the premature mortality rate for men living in Glasgow Central was nearly four times that recorded in nearby Eastwood at 979 per 100,000 versus 256 per 100,000.
Four of the 10 constituencies with the highest rates of premature mortality are in Glasgow (Glasgow Anniesland, Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Glasgow Central, Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn). The others are Aberdeen Central, Airdrie, Cunninghame North, Dundee City West, Kirkcaldy, and Motherwell and Wishaw.
Men in the most deprived communities were 3.6 times more likely to die prematurely than those in the least deprived communities, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Cancer is the single largest cause of premature death among Scottish men, killing 3783 men under 75 in 2024. On top of this, 3406 died from cardiovascular disease, including 2023 deaths from ischaemic heart disease.
Drug and alcohol-related harm also loom large over Scotland’s ill health.
In 2024, 694 men under 75 died from drug misuse and 708 from alcohol-specific causes. A further 488 men died by suicide before 75. Across all age groups, 518 men died by probable suicide, and the male suicide rate is nearly three times that for women.
Ayesha Ahmed, from Movember’s Policy team, said: “Men in Scotland are dying too young, too often and from causes that could be prevented. Behind these numbers are fathers, sons, brothers, partners and friends whose lives are being cut short.
“The Scottish Government must match the scale of this crisis with the leadership and investment it demands. That means a fully costed Men’s Health Action Plan, clear accountability and services designed around how men actually live, communicate and seek support.
“Scottish men cannot wait for another consultation or another generation of avoidable inequality. The time for recognising the problem has passed – we need action.”
The report highlights the experience of Graham Emans, 42, from Kilwinning, who was helped to open up about his mental health struggles through support delivered by The Changing Room initiative.
He said: “The support that changed things for me did not start in a doctor’s surgery. It started through football.
“For the first time, I started opening up about how I actually felt. If I had never found these programmes, I genuinely do not know where I would be.
“‘You’re fine, just get on with it’ cannot continue to be our answer to men’s health. We know more can be done. Now we need to do it.”
Gordon Smart, a Movember ambassador and the former editor of The Scottish Sun, will be present for the report’s launch today at Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh.
He said: “Improving men’s mental health is not a zero-sum game. Healthier men equates to stronger family bonds, healthier communities, reduced pressure on public services and a far more productive economy.
“Scotland has the knowledge, expertise and community infrastructure to turn this around. There is plenty of understanding, what is missing is action, leadership and accountability.”
John Hartson, former Celtic striker and men’s health campaigner, will also attend the launch and said: “Men’s health in Scotland is an issue that has been ignored by decision makers for too long.
“Brilliant work is already happening across Scotland - in football clubs, workplaces and communities. But too many men are still only getting the support they need when they are seriously ill or at crisis point.
“The importance of health interventions where men are actually convening cannot be understated – and the Scottish Government must commit to properly funding these models, as part of a wider Action Plan on men’s health in Scotland.”
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “I welcome this report and am keen to reinforce this Government's commitment to addressing the issues it raises, particularly to support prevention and tackle harms associated with drugs and alcohol.
“Work to specifically improve men’s health outcomes includes supporting the development of Men’s Sheds across Scotland for over a decade, as well as supporting the ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign aimed at the early detection of cancers affecting men, which has reached over two million men so far.
“I recognise the concerns raised about various diseases and issues having a greater impact on men and I am keen the Government work with organisations like Movember to improve how services and support are delivered across Scotland.”
She rejected calls for a separate men’s mental health campaign saying: “However, we believe rather than developing a separate standalone men’s health strategy, the focus must be more immediately on ensuring we work across all health policies to address inequalities and plug any potential gaps in support. I intend to engage with Movember on their report to understand where we can work more closely together.”
