Improving Men’s Health through Physical Activity and Mental Health Promotion
Paul Sharp, PhD student
Paul Sharp studied a Bachelor of Human Kinetics and Master of Science at a university in Canada. After completing his M.Sc., Paul worked as a Research Assistant and Research Coordinator where his team designed, implemented, and evaluated health promotion interventions targeted at smoking cessation, weight loss, physical activity, and healthy eating. He also worked for several years in the public sector with homelessness and neighbourhood development, which helped him see the importance of applied research and translating evidence into practice.
Paul has always been interested in helping people live happier and healthier lives. Especially, community-based health promotion programs and interventions that target specific at-risk populations with the aim of improving health through behaviour change. Paul says "there is also an aspect of creativity in designing and developing programs and campaigns that resonate with people. Thus, it's important to work closely with the target audience to understand their motivations, needs, and barriers to making healthy changes."
Paul’s thesis is titled "Novel strategies for improving men's health through physical activity and mental health promotion." His current research focuses on men, masculinities and health-related behaviours. He says "there are specific challenges to engaging men in health promotion (e.g., stigmas around mental health). If we can design programs that resonate with men and address some of these social barriers around help-seeking, it may be possible to reduce the burden of disease, prevent/manage mental health issues, and increase quality of life and well-being."
If we can design programs that resonate with men and address some of these social barriers around help-seeking, it may be possible to reduce the burden of disease, prevent/manage mental health issues, and increase quality of life and well-being.
The HPRC has strong ties within the community and a reputation for partnering with local organizations. It's a collaborative working environment that Paul says, has allowed him the opportunity to work with some of the top researchers in their respective fields. As for results, his first study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of behaviour change interventions for men that has been published in BJSM. He’s since published an infographic summarizing these findings and had two papers recently accepted from the Hat Trick (opens external site) program that was originally delivered in Canada. These findings, in addition to his current research, will be used to help tailor the program for delivery with Australian men.
Some of the articles Paul has published:
• One small step for man, one giant leap for men’s health: a meta-analysis of behaviour change interventions to increase men’s physical activity (opens external site)
• Men’s Perspectives of a Gender-Sensitized Health Promotion Program Targeting Healthy Eating, Active Living, and Social Connectedness (opens external site)
The infographic summarising Paul’s findings:
• Infographic. One small step for man, one giant leap for men’s health: a meta-analysis of behaviour change interventions to increase men’s physical activity (opens external site)
