THE MALE ADVOCACY NETWORK

The Male Advocacy Network (MAN) is a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization whose primary goal is to address the identifiable health disparities that are found throughout the life cycles of males including disparities in family planning services.  Incorporated eight years ago (October 24, 1997,) in the District of Columbia, MAN’s membership is composed of approximately 150 frontline Community and Faith Based Organizations (CBO/FBO) that are multi-cultural and multi-racial with diverse religious representation. Member organizations are located in 30 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

MAN’s organizational goals are to heighten male awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, to establish standards by which male health care is delivered and measured and to serve as a national repository of information regarding Community and Faith Based Organizations (CBO/FBO) with male health components in their programs.  Our challenge is to develop technical and other resources to motivate males to place a higher priority on their health.  To effectively address the high rate of male morbidity and mortality, MAN is committed to assisting CBO/FBOs to educate and inform males about their health in places where males frequent and congregate.

Although the United States achieved great strides in the area of public health during the 20th century, the country is still plagued by growing rates of male morbidity and mortality when compared to females. Overall, men have a life expectancy that is between six and seven years less than that of women. Males have higher death rates for each of the ten leading causes of death that include heart disease, cancer and violence. Males also have higher rates of infant mortality, STDs, HIV, obesity, and hypertension.  African American men, on average, are dying before they reach retirement age, many not living long enough to collect Social Security. As the retirement age continues to rise, something needs to be done to ensure that the general population of men live long enough to see the benefits they have worked hard to pay for and some day hope to enjoy.