For decades, the health of men has not been talked about as much as women’s.

Things seem to have been starting to change slowly recently, with the spotlight being shone particularly on mental health in men - but I feel more needs to be done.

Take cancer death rates in men. They have been consistently higher for decades than those found in women.

Men are more reluctant to seek help over symptoms and tend to leave it until it is too late.

A study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) confirms this. In a paper entitled ‘Do Men Consult Less than Women? An analysis of routinely collected general practice data,’ the study showed the consultation rate of men between the ages of 16 to 60 was low. It stated a man from a deprived background would be even less likely to seek help compared to a more affluent man. Is this social inequality to do with risk-taking behaviour generally or about education?

If it is an education issue, then I believe more money needs to be spent on targeting men from socially deprived backgrounds in campaigns.

I have spoken to prostate cancer sufferers who believe not enough money is spent on this type of cancer compared to say breast cancer. All cancer is bad, I am sure we can all agree, but why does there seem to be a focus on women with men getting left by the wayside?

I think it is about time men were proud to be men and to start a men’s movement to rival the feminist movement.

This has also been the case with male suicide. Perhaps woman are better at opening up about their thoughts and feelings, whereas men, as hunter gatherers, have to ‘man up' and talking about feelings is seen as a weakness not a strength.

Men take greater risks in life. On average they die younger as well from risk-taking behaviour, riding recklessly, drinking too much and smoking more.

Soldiers coming back from war, suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome, has only recently been taken seriously and it was not that long ago when 'shell-shocked' First World War soldiers were shot for desertion.

To be a truly equal society, we need to address inequalities across the gender gap. I feel it's time for men to stand up and be counted and to show society that we are good at looking after ourselves.