Sir, - I waited with interest for the inevitable reply to John Waters's article on the issue of men's health. I expected that any rebuttal of his conclusion that men are discriminated against in the area of health would contain some factual basis. Instead of an honest and constructive reply, we were treated to Kieran Healy's letter (October 29th), which is merely a vehicle for the usual "slagging off" which Waters is subjected to from time to time. This time, at least, the attempt to appear smart at Mr Waters's expense fails to address the serious issues that he raised.
From my limited knowledge of medical matters it appears that men's health is shamefully neglected, not only by the medical profession, but by men as a social group. It seems that women are more in touch with matters which affect their health and have succeeded in moulding public policy in this regard. More luck to them! In contrast, men have made little or no advances.
Tale the example of prostate cancer, which is responsible for a large proportion of male deaths. I personally know of five men who have died of it in the past five years. Only one of them was over 60. I understand that a simple blood test and/or examination can detect this disease before it becomes fatal, in which case a large number of men needlessly die every year. On this matter there seems to be no preventative health initiatives either by health care professionals or by Government (in contrast to women's health issues, such as cervical and breast cancer).
It's time that men started to take health matters seriously and to press for health policies that reflect their needs. These affect not only the quality of their lives but their very lives. They could certainly take a leaf out of the women's book in this regard.
As for Mr Healy, it worries me that a university department, where social policy is researched and taught has so little to contribute to this debate. - Yours, etc.,
John Deaton, Dundrum, Dublin 14.