Closing the Gaps in Men’s Health Through MTM and Community Engagement

June marks Men’s Health Month, and Men’s Health Week takes place June 14 through 21, 2026.¹ The theme this year is “Partners in Care: For Better Life Spans Across the Life Span.”¹ This emphasizes the crucial roles for families, communities, and care partners in improving men’s health outcomes.

The importance of men’s health has been a focus in pop culture, as well, with topics such as prostate cancer highlighted in the television show Grey’s Anatomy, mirroring the diagnosis of actor James Pickens Jr.² As part of the health care team and as accessible members of the community, pharmacists can play an important role in men’s health through medication therapy management (MTM).

Men’s Health and MTM

Recommending screenings is a crucial part of educating patients, as early detection and education can improve outcomes. As part of a social media campaign, pharmacists and other health care professionals can show support by wearing blue on Fridays throughout June.³ Each day of Men’s Health Week also includes the following themes³:

• Monday: Mental health
• Tuesday: Chronic health conditions
• Wednesday: Life span gender gap
• Thursday: Caring across generations
• Friday: Health at work
• Saturday: Family health history
• Sunday: Recognizing men on Father’s Day

A national survey conducted by Cleveland Clinic, known as MENtion It, found a striking disconnect between perception and reality among American men.⁴ While 81% of respondents considered themselves to be living healthily, the data told a more complicated story. Among the 1,000 participants aged 18 and older, nearly half — 44% — had skipped their annual physical exam. Mental health emerged as another area of concern, with 83% reporting stress in the prior six months, yet nearly two-thirds (65%) expressed reluctance to seek professional support. The survey also found that 37% had dealt with sexual health concerns, and close to half (49%) acknowledged poor dietary habits.

Research shows that pharmacists are an integral part of men’s health, and mental health is an important men’s health topic that pharmacists can address. One study evaluated pharmacists’ perceptions of the Headstrong: Taking Things Head-On men’s mental health program in community pharmacies in Nova Scotia, Canada.⁵ The Headstrong program focuses on depression, anxiety, insomnia, alcohol use, tobacco use, and suicide.

Nine pharmacists participated in telephone interviews; all said they or a pharmacy staff member used at least 1 resource from the Headstrong program, such as a pamphlet, website, or app. However, they noted that the program’s signage did not encourage more men to seek mental health care from pharmacists.⁵

Cardiovascular health is also a critical part of men’s health. One study evaluated a pharmacist-led intervention on 30-day hospital readmission in African American men with heart failure.⁶ The intervention group received medication reconciliation, cost and formulary review, discharge medication counseling, self-monitoring resources (ie, a list of current medications), and a pharmacy follow-up call at 14 and 30 days post discharge.

The study found a significant reduction in 30-day readmission rates in the pharmacist-led intervention group.⁶ There was a readmission rate of 42.9% in the control group vs 11.5% in the intervention group (95% CI; rate ratio, 0.28; 0.09-0.88; P = .03) after adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics. Using data collected from study participants, a predictive model was developed to determine characteristics that can predict readmission. Patients who received the pharmacist-led intervention were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, and other predictive attributes included age, anemia, arrhythmia, dyslipidemia, presence of a pacemaker, and cardiovascular medications such as aspirin, β-blockers, and nitrates.

Men’s Health Month and Men’s Health Week serve as a timely reminder that men continue to face barriers to preventive care, mental health support, and chronic disease management. Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to bridge these gaps, whether through MTM services, cardiovascular interventions, or mental health outreach programs. By engaging patients in screenings, medication counseling, and community-based education, pharmacists can serve as true partners in care, helping men not only live longer but also live better across every stage of life.³

MTM Spotlight

In an email interview with Pharmacy Times, Charity Reid, PharmD, a Costco Pharmacy manager, discussed the pharmacist’s role in men’s health. Reid recommends routine prostate cancer screenings, colonoscopies, and bloodwork for male patients.

“I encourage my male patients to set up their appointments for the year in advance. If they are not sure what tests they should have annually, I refer them to their insurance company. I meet my patients where they are,” Reid said. She also recommends that patients schedule an annual physical with their primary care physician, dental cleanings, and mental health checkups.

“I encourage them to try to be active most days of the week and to eat a balanced diet. In a society that pushes protein, I advise them to speak with their physician to determine the appropriate amount of daily protein to suit their needs. I also counsel male patients on safe sex practices and yearly sexually transmitted disease screenings,” she concluded. 

About the Author

Jennifer Gershman, PharmD, CPh, PACS, is a drug information pharmacist and Pharmacy Times contributor who lives in southern Florida.

REFERENCES

1. Men’s Health Month: celebrated every June. Men’s Health Month. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://menshealthmonth.org/

2. Clack E. James Pickens Jr. opens up about prostate cancer diagnosis that mirrors his Grey’s Anatomy role. People. November 15, 2025. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://people.com/greys-anatomy-star-james-pickens-jr-reveals-prostate-cancer-diagnosis-11850375

3. Social media toolkit for Men’s Health Month. Men’s Health Month. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://menshealthmonth.org/mediacenter/social-media-toolkit

4. Cleveland Clinic survey examines the current state of men’s health in America. News release. Cleveland Clinic. September 6, 2023. Accessed May 5, 2026. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2023/09/06/cleveland-clinic-survey-examines-the-current-state-of-mens-health-in-america

5. Murphy AL, Gardner DM. Pharmacists’ acceptability of a men’s mental health promotion program using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. AIMS Public Health. 2019;6(2):195-208. doi:10.3934/publichealth.2019.2.195

6. McKinley D, Moye-Dickerson P, Davis S, Akil A. Impact of a pharmacist-led intervention on 30-day readmission and assessment of factors predictive of readmission in African American men with heart failure. Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(1):1557988318814295. doi:10.1177/1557988318814295