Who are Australia’s males? Where and how do they live, and work? How do they use their leisure time? What are their ethnicities and religious affiliations and what are the roles and relationships they form within their communities? The answers to these questions provide the broad context the health status of Australian men and boys.
Broadly, we know that in June 2010, there were 11.1 million males living in Australia (49.8% of the total population), which means there were 99.2 males for every 100 females. Most males (70%) were younger than 50 and 12% were 65 and over. Their median age was 36.
Males are a diverse population, with differing health behaviours, conditions and health service use. Five distinct population groups are characterised by:
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status
Around 224,100 (2.5%) Australian males identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Indigenous males are young, (39% aged less than 15), they have culture (21% speak an Indigenous language) and they are outnumbered by females in later life (62 males for every 100 females aged 75 or over).
Remoteness
Three per cent of the Australian male population live in Remote and Very remote areas. Males living in Very remote areas are young (their median age of 31 is 5 years younger than average), they outnumber females (113 males for every 100 females) and are community-minded (1 in 5 volunteer for a group or organisation).
Socioeconomic disadvantage
Some Australian males are more disadvantaged than others. More than half (55%) of males aged 15 and over are employed either full-time or part-time and 46% have completed Year 12 or equivalent. But 12% earn less than $150 each week, and around 58,000 Australian males are homeless.
Region of birth
More than a quarter (27%) of the Australian male population were born overseas. Males born overseas are older (the median age of 44.3 is 8 years older than the average), the majority come from the United Kingdom (followed by New Zealand and China), and they are outnumbered by females (98 males for every 100 females).
Age (65 or over)
Twelve per cent of the total male population are aged 65 or over. The number of men aged 65 and over is increasing (by the year 2026 they will account for 17–18% of the total male population), they are outnumbered by females (84 males for every 100 females), and the majority (71%) are married, while 12% are widowed.