Men’s urological needs refer to the medical and surgical conditions that affect the male urinary tract system and reproductive organs. Some of the common men’s urological needs include:
- Prostate health: The prostate is a gland located just below the bladder and is important for male reproductive health. Conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostate cancer can affect prostate health.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs): UTIs are common in men and can cause pain and discomfort during urination. They are caused by bacterial infections in the urinary tract system.
- Erectile dysfunction: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. ED can be caused by several factors such as nerve damage, psychological issues, or underlying medical conditions.
- Infertility: Infertility is the inability to conceive a child. Male infertility can be caused by several factors such as low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or genetic conditions.
- Testicular health: Testicles are important for male reproductive health. Conditions such as testicular cancer, torsion, or trauma can affect testicular health.
- Incontinence: Incontinence is the loss of bladder control and can be caused by several factors such as prostate surgery, nerve damage, or medication side effects.
- Kidney stones: Kidney stones are hard deposits that form in the kidneys and can cause pain and discomfort during urination.
- Urological cancers: Men can develop several types of urological cancers, including prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer.
A urologist can address these concerns, however a pharmacy-led model of care developed by Brad Butt, called Mens Health Downunder has offered an alternative to certain urological needs of the male adult population over the past 10 years.
Initially commencing in Canberra and now in 9 locations across Australia, the operation is run by a group of Australian pharmacists that provide rehabilitation solutions and cost-effective endorsed medical grade treatments for men with urological health issues. Mens Health Downunder provides products that are medical grade and specifically tailored for individuals with urological or sexual health issues backed by evidence-based solutions and pharmaceutical advice.
Mens Health Downunder exists to address the growing need for men to access quality health advice, break the stigma around urological health and reduce the embarrassment so men openly ask questions and confidently address health concerns. No concern is off limits.
Australian Health Journal met with Brad to hear about his journey, Mens Health Downunder and the impact the pharmacy-led model of care has had on patient’s urological as well as mental health.
Brad’s mission is to also raise awareness for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer diagnosed in Australia with expectations of aggressive diagnosis to double by 2028, overtaking breast cancer. Interestingly, media tends to focus on breast cancer more than prostate cancer. Often this is because of the stigma associated with prostate cancer. Men suffer in silence and are less likely to seek medical diagnosis and treatment. However, the stigma that surrounds prostate cancer and men’s health is a significant barrier that is being addressed, by Brad and his team of pharmacists.
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Smart diaper wins Kerrin Rennie technology award
In October 2022, Smartz won the Kerrin Rennie Award for Excellence in Medical Technology – Improving Quality of Life. The award was established to recognise and profile the innovative and extraordinary contribution of medical technology in improving health outcomes of Australian patients.
Smartz monitors patient wellness including 2 significant issues affecting the elderly in residential aged care facilities; incontinence and pressure injuries.
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HIGHLIGHTS The power of social determinants of health, panel discussion
Clinicians and consumers know only too well that life circumstances such as poor housing, income and food insecurity can have a negative impact on health outcomes. Conversely, participation in community activities, social connection and access to nature parks and leisure facilities can help maintain health and wellbeing.
More recent phenomena in public health have also focused us on the health and social care connection. Stress factors such as the sudden loss of employment and social interaction, moving to remote work or schooling, and the impacts of sudden, localised COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’ to prevent further outbreaks were triggers of increased psychological distress.
And loneliness is being described as our latest epidemic with chronic loneliness inked to a myriad of health problems and earlier death. A recent report found one in four Australians say they feel persistently lonely, and that loneliness costs $2.7 bn a year in health costs alone.
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Maximising benefits, minimising harms in population health screening
Population screening is an important contributor to advancing health outcomes through the early detection of and successful intervention for chronic disease. The evolution of science, technology and evidence relating to diseases which are or may be amenable to a population screening approach deserve broad discussion and the sharing of expertise and evidence. They also warrant close scrutiny in context of health policy and health resource allocation considerations.
In March, Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) convened Screening Conference Conference 2025 with the theme of ‘Population Screening for Chronic Disease – Maximising Benefits, Minimising Harms’.
