How 'male health' fits into the field of urology

The shorter life span and poorer health of men compared with women is concerning, affecting spouses, families, and communities. Physicians and policy makers have identified a growing need for a gender-specific focus on the unique health needs of boys and men and accompanying services. Men's health has emerged as a new discipline that is responsible for a gender-specific approach to health-services delivery, government policy, research, and advocacy. The urologic community has taken a leadership role in this specialty by defining the issues that face men in the 21 st century, bringing together disparate areas of clinical care and research, and collaborating with stakeholders (such as primary care physicians and specialists from other disciplines) to create and implement men's health initiatives.