Sind Männer unterversorgt? Eine Mixed-Methods-Studie zur Versorgungssituation von Männern in Deutschland

Background: The health care situation of men, especially men in younger phases of life, before typical prostate problems occur, has been little studied. The aim of the study was to determine the status quo of care in the field of men's health in Germany, and to identify obstacles and potential for optimization in the implementation of preventive and health-promoting services in order to derive concrete recommendations for action. Methods: The study is a triangulation study with a mixed methods approach. It comprises a scoping review, qualitative expert interviews (n = 10), a quantitative online survey with service providers (n = 37) and a representative panel survey among men (n = 1,100). Results: The results of this study indicate that there is a structural underuse of care amongst men. After the end of the compulsory Childhood Early Screening Tests at the pediatrician, young men typically go a long time without regular contact with a doctor, which used to be shorter due to the physical examination as part of compulsory military service. Male-specific topics are rarely addressed by doctors and under two thirds of men have heard of male-specific cancer screening examinations. However, there are hardly any consultation sessions, for example on erectile dysfunction. Under 57% of men have a dedicated medical practitioner to whom they can turn for men-specific problems. In addition to organizational barriers, the biggest obstacles to the use of services are, in particular, an inadequate target group-specific approach and a lack of openness in dealing with male-specific illnesses. Conclusions: Possible solutions for overcoming the lack of care include adapting the system to the needs and circumstances of men in the long term, for example through adequate health communication strategies and low-threshold access to prevention and care services at all stages of life. Longitudinal research approaches could help to gain a more comprehensive picture of healthcare for men in Germany.