Ageing well in older men in Otago and Southland of New Zealand: a focus group study protocol

Background: Men in New Zealand (NZ) do not enjoy the same level of health and wellbeing as women. Men generally experience a higher incidence of, and mortality from, major diseases; most importantly, life expectancies for men in NZ are approximately four years less than for women. Such disparities vary across rural and urban communities, and across ethnic sub-groups. In particular, Māori men live some seven years less than other NZ men. Despite such inequalities, men’s health is not recognised as a priority by healthcare providers, government, or at the wider societal level. This qualitative study seeks to address this, by contributing to our understanding of factors associated with health and wellbeing for men in the ageing process. Study findings will also inform the development of a national survey of older men. Method: Focus groups will be used to explore the expectations and experiences of health and wellbeing in a cohort of older men (≥45 years) in the Otago and Southland regions. Topics to be explored will include gender role conflict, health service help-seeking, lifestyle behaviours, social engagement, and self-identified health risks. In total, five groups are planned (6-10 men per group) and will be conducted in urban, rural, and urban-rural adjunct areas. Focus groups will be recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcriptions will be coded for themes using the abductive thematic analysis approach. Results: This paper presents a protocol of a study in progress, and results are not yet known. Discussion: This is the first qualitative study focussing on ageing well in men in NZ. It will contribute to our understanding of this aspect of men’s health, and–ultimately–help to inform interventions and policies to better support men to age positively.