SynthesisBMC health services research2008
What works with men? A systematic review of health promoting interventions targeting men.
Synthesis in BMC health services research, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
57 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Barriers and facilitators for recruiting and retaining male participants into longitudinal health research: a systematic review.BMC medical research methodology · 2024Pooled it
- A systematic review of physical activity-based behaviour change interventions reaching men with prostate cancer.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2018Pooled it
- Promotion of Physical Activity Among University Students With Social Media Or Text Messaging: A Systematic Review.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingPooled it
- Rugby Fans in Training New Zealand (RUFIT NZ): a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle program for overweight men delivered through professional rugby clubs.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2023Trial
- Population-oriented health promotion and disease prevention interventions in primary healthcare: a scoping review of reviews.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- A multicomponent, place-based approach to improving men's health and well-being in disadvantaged areas: a qualitative study.Journal of public health (Oxford, England) · 2026Article
- Empowering Men's Health: Strategies to Enhance Health-Seeking Behaviour in Rural Limpopo, South Africa.Health services insights · 2026Article
- Implementation of strategies to promote men's health-seeking behaviour in a rural village of Limpopo Province, South Africa: a study protocol.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Challenges and enablers of collaborative working in the voluntary, community, social, faith and enterprise sector: impact, effectiveness, and sustainability.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- A qualitative examination of human papillomavirus vaccine access, beliefs, and behaviors among adult males aged 18-35: applying the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Access to and Use of Health Services by Older Men and Women Experiencing Frailty and Ageing in Place Alone in Italy.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Sex and age-specific multimorbidity profiles among working-age inpatients in China: a comparative network analysis.BMC public health · 2025Article
- The families SHARE project: novel insights on recruiting and engaging Black men in a community-based genomic education program.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Using a Fitbit-based Walking Game to Improve Physical Activity Among U.S. Veterans.Military medicine · 2025Article
- Age-related differences in men's preferences and barriers to healthcare: Insights from a national Australian survey.PloS one · 2025Article
- Core components of male-specific person-centred HIV care: a qualitative analysis from client and healthcare worker perspectives in Malawi.BMJ public health · 2024Article
- Exercise self-efficacy remains unaltered during military service.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Implementing barbershop-based health-promotion interventions for Black men: A systematic scoping review.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2023Article
- Strategies to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and early engagement among men in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review of interventions in the era of universal treatment.Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH · 2023Article
- Colorectal cancer in patients with SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Infectious agents and cancer · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundEncouraging men to make more effective use of (preventive) health services is considered one way of improving their health. The aim of this study was to appraise the available evidence of effective interventions aimed at improving men's health.
methodsSystematic review of relevant studies identified through 14 electronic databases and other information resources. Results were pooled within health topic and described qualitatively.
resultsOf 11,749 citations screened, 338 articles were assessed and 27 met our inclusion criteria. Most studies were male sex-specific, i.e. prostate cancer screening and testicular self-examination. Other topics included alcohol, cardiovascular disease, diet and physical activity, skin cancer and smoking cessation. Twenty-three interventions were effective or partially effective and 18 studies satisfied all quality criteria.
conclusionMost of the existing evidence relates to male sex-specific health problems as opposed to general health concerns relevant to both men and women. There is little published evidence on how to improve men's uptake of services. We cannot conclude from this review that targeting men works better than providing services for all people. Large-scale studies are required to help produce evidence that is sufficiently robust to add to the small evidence base that currently exists in this field.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.