Opening the door wider for men’s health

You’ve seen him. You know him. In for his prescription, grabs a bottle of ibuprofen, out the door. If he has a minute, he might take the flu shot. But a blood pressure check? A quick diabetes screening? That’s not what he came in for. He’s in and out and this might be his only healthcare interaction this month. Or this year. We are accessible, but men’s health at the pharmacy isn’t part of his routine or yours. We talk a lot about gender-inclusive healthcare. For years, women’s health was overlooked, underfunded, under researched. There is a lot of well deserved attention happening now around women's health. Breast cancer awareness months. Menopause clinics. Birth control consultations. Osteoporosis screening initiatives. Important work that needed doing.But gender-inclusive means the whole population. This piece focuses on men’s health because we have an opportunity to close gaps that we may not have addressed intentionallyMen live about three to four years less than women in Canada. And men are 30% less likely to visit their family physician—if they have one. They are more likely to die from preventable causes. And yet, they're walking into our pharmacies every single day—during shift breaks, after hours, between errands.We are so busy. It's not that we don’t care. Are we assuming that our systems work well for them? Are men an afterthought in the care we provide? There are barriers that keep men from traditional healthcare—appointments, hours that don’t match work schedules, perceived stigma around health concerns. We’re positioned to reach men. But maybe we’re not activating that access intentionally. Every interaction is an opportunityWhen a man comes in for a flu shot, he’s sitting there for 15 minutes post-vaccination. There is a natural opportunity for a blood pressure check. When he picks up his new diabetes medication, your profile can screen for erectile dysfunction —a strong early indicator of cardiovascular disease that men often won't volunteer. You are talking about heartburn under your minor ailments assessment. Include asking questions to assess his cardiac risk factors, symptoms that might be dismissed as "just stress" or "getting older."The model doesn’t need to be complicated. Embed prevention into the touchpoints that already exist. The evidence is there Men have higher rates of diabetes than women; over 10% of men have diagnosed diabetes. Point-of-care A1C testing catches pre-diabetes before it becomes diabetes.Workplace partnerships remove barriers. On-site pharmacy flu clinics at construction sites, manufacturing plants, and trades companies reach men during work hours—no need to book time off for a doctor's appointment. Uptake is high because the barrier is removed.Privacy enables conversations that wouldn’t happen otherwise. ED consultations that become cardiovascular risk assessments. Mental health screening using PHQ-9 during medication reviews creates a low-barrier entry point for men who underreport and undertreat mental health conditions. Naloxone programs reach the population that needs them most—73% of opioid overdose deaths in Canada are men.Starting the conversation My piece on vaccination last month gave you some language for addressing flu vaccine hesitancy. Here is some language for starting men's health conversations without making it awkward:During a flu shot: "Quick BP check while you are here? Takes 30 seconds.."Pickup for a new chronic disease medication: "Part of our service is a full medication review - how to take this, what to watch for, your overall health. Do you have 10 minutes now? If not, let’s book something in” Minor ailment assessment: "I’ll ask some questions that might seem unrelated, but they help me make sure we are not missing anything” ED Question (in provinces where you can prescribe): "I can help with that. ED medications are effective, but ED can also be an early warning sign of heart disease. Can I do a broader cardiovascular check - BP, cholesterol, lifestyle factors? We can do it today or over a couple of visits - whatever works best for you” Workplace clinic pitch: "I know you work in [construction/trades/manufacturing]. We run on-site clinics for companies where we can do flu shots, blood pressure checks, and basic health screening during breaks. Do you think this would be something that your employer might be interested in?"Listen for what men are NOT saying Many men aren’t voicing health concerns directly. They'll come in for something concrete—a prescription, a product, a vaccine—and might not mention the chest tightness they've been ignoring, the stress that's affecting their sleep, or the erectile changes that are stressing them out. But there are hints and signals: "Something for energy" might be fatigue from undiagnosed diabetes or depression"My wife says I need to get my blood pressure checked" is an opening. Yeah, she’s probably right"Do you have anything stronger for headaches?" could be medication overuse or uncontrolled hypertensionMultiple pain relief purchases might signal chronic pain that's being self-managed poorlyMedication reviews can be a gateway. In that 10-minute conversation about adherence and side effects, you can identify the broader health issues that get ignored when they're "silent"—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, mental health concerns.Build men’s health Into your pharmacy’s DNAThis isn't about adding a "men's health week" in June and checking a box. It's about building men’s health into how your pharmacy operates.Bundle blood pressure checks with flu vaccines. When you do medication reviews, include diabetes risk screening for men over 40. When you assess ED, assess cardiovascular risk.Build privacy into your workflow. QR codes for self-screening before they approach the counter. Private consultation rooms. Clear signage about confidentiality. Partner strategically. Connect with Hypertension Canada's BP check programs. Join Movember pharmacy initiatives. Partner with local sports teams, gyms, and workplaces. Align with national programs and campaigns that are already knowledge mobilized for pharmacy implementation.Use every encounter. Buying cold medication? Ask about respiratory vaccine status. Picking up his wife’s prescription? Ask about his own health. Getting travel vaccines? Do a broader health review. Pharmacy is the front door to healthcare for millions of Canadians. The question is whether we are opening it wide enough for men’s health.

Opening the door wider for men’s health

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Blog Author

Shelita Dattani

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