Older men and social activity : a scoping review of Men’s Sheds and other gendered interventions

Milligan, Christine and Neary, David and Payne, Sheila and Hanratty, Barbara and Irwin, Pamela and Dowrick, Chris (2016) Older men and social activity : a scoping review of Men’s Sheds and other gendered interventions. Ageing and Society, 36 (5). pp. 895-923. ISSN 0144-686X

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Abstract

Finding ways of improving the health and wellbeing of older men is an important challenge for public health. This review aimed to assess evidence for the effects of Men's Sheds and other gendered social activities on the health and wellbeing of older men, and to consider their effective components and theoretical frameworks. A scoping review using standardised search criteria and terms identified 31 relevant papers of sufficient quality for inclusion. Analysis was informed by guidance on interpretative and narrative synthesis and a quality assessment tool designed for reviewing disparate data from different disciplines and research paradigms applied. The review found some limited evidence that Men's Sheds and other gendered social activities may have impact on the mental health and wellbeing of older men, but little evidence of the impact on physical health. Qualitative data provided valuable insights into how and why complex psycho-social activities can affect participants, but there was a lack of longitudinal evidence drawing on validated health and wellbeing measures. Key components of successful interventions included accessibility, range of activities, local support and skilled co-ordination. A variety of theoretical frameworks were employed. As yet, there is no conclusive evidence that Men's Sheds and other gendered interventions confer health and wellbeing benefits on older men. Studies in this field to date are few and of variable quality. Larger and more robust mixed-methods studies, including randomised designs, are needed.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Ageing and Society
Additional Information:
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=ASO The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Ageing and Society, 36 (5), pp 895-923 2016, © 2016 Cambridge University Press.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3300/3306
Subjects:
?? older mensocial isolationwellbeinginterventionsscoping reviewhealth(social science)geriatrics and gerontologypublic health, environmental and occupational health ??
ID Code:
75319
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
19 Aug 2015 11:42
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
28 Nov 2023 11:21