John Downes
Initiatives to educate schoolchildren about the importance of health issues should be expanded further, one of the co-authors of the Men's Health in Ireland report has said.
According to Mr Noel Richardson, traditional notions of masculinity often have the effect of discouraging men from being proactive about their health.
"There are connotations with being feminine if men are proactive about their health," he said. "Men are not meant to show vulnerability."
This is a damaging message when it comes to being mentally, emotionally or physically sick, he said.
"Men deserve to take time out from work if they need to . . but health is always put as a secondary consideration.
"The new generation pick up on these messages in a particular way.
"We would strongly endorse the initiatives to promote health awareness in schools, but we want more awareness and training."
The Social, Personal and Health Education programme (SPHE) is taught as part of the revised primary curriculum and in the junior cycle at second level.
It is a joint initiative between the Departments of Health and Children and Education and Science.
Mr John Lahiff, national co-ordinator of the SPHE support services (post-primary), said the programme advocated a supportive school environment for students.
It was a holistic programme, he said, which included all aspects of health awareness, including physical, mental, social and psychological aspects.
It advocates that schools set aside a minimum of one class a week to the SPHE programme.
A course committee is developing a curriculum for the senior cycle, although there is no time frame for when this might be introduced.