Home away from home: Health and wellbeing benefits of men's shed

Jane A Taylor; Rachel Cole; Mary Kynn; John B Lowe

doi:10.1002/hpja.15

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Home away from home: Health and wellbeing benefits of men's shed

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Home away from home: Health and wellbeing benefits of men's shed

Jane A Taylor, Rachel Cole, Mary Kynn and John B Lowe

Health Promotion Journal of Australia, Vol.29(3), pp.236-242

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.15

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Abstract

community based intervention

healthy environments

men's health

Issue addressed: Improving the health of men is a national policy priority. The Men's Shed program is one health promoting initiative that seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of men. This study assessed Men's Shed members' perceptions of the health and wellbeing benefits of Men's Shed activity in a large regional Queensland Men's Shed. Methods: Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire from 147 and three group interviews with 17 shedders. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine differences in shedders perceived health and wellbeing measures retrospectively just before joining the Men's Shed and currently. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Results: There was no change in overall self-assessed health of shedders before and after joining the Men's Shed. Shedders expanded their social networks, and experienced less felt need for social interaction. Shedders' level of satisfaction with feeling part of the community and life as a whole increased. Health and wellbeing benefits of Men's Shed included fellowship, sense of belonging, access to equipment, and learning new and sharing their own skills. Conclusions: The Men's Shed appeared to provide social health and wellbeing benefits to its members, and an environment for quality social interaction. The Men's Shed is seen as a place for and about members - men. So what?: Men's Shed may have a unique role in supporting the social health and wellbeing of men beyond that already available from other community groups by providing an environment for the fellowship of men and activities of interest in an unstructured way.

Details

Title: Home away from home: Health and wellbeing benefits of men's shed
Authors: Jane A Taylor (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Rachel Cole (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Mary Kynn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
John B Lowe (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Publication details: Health Promotion Journal of Australia, Vol.29(3), pp.236-242
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.1002/hpja.15
ISSN: 1036-1073
Copyright note: © Australian Health Promotion Association. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; School of Health - Public Health
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450914402621
Output Type: Journal article

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