Key findings
Of the 62 Shed members interviewed, 40 reported having an existing illness or injuryFootnote 1 diagnosed by a health professional, whilst the remaining 22 members without diagnosed health issues commented on the ways in which the Shed might help to sustain their future health and wellbeing.
As previously shown in the work of Kelly et al. [30], the qualitative data from this study also indicated that the Sheds provided three specific inputs that directly impacted on the ability of members to improve their health. These were (1) Practical/ educational: space to take part in practical activities, where skills are learned and shared; (2) Social/ interactive: space to socialise and interact with others and form social relationships and networks; (3) Inclusive/ supportive: an informal and flexible space where men of all backgrounds are included and can gain social support and share experiences in a safe ‘male-friendly’ environment. Findings will now focus on each of these inputs, and describe the pathways that led to improved health behaviours and attitudes in Shed users.
Practical/ educational aspects
Members with reported diagnosed health issues found that taking part in practical activities, like woodwork, provided a distraction and escape from illness or adversity in their lives, helping them to relax and ‘switch off’ (Shed 1 Member).
‘I’ve got IBS and diverticulitis and stress is a big part of keeping that under control … the Shed helps me with that, because these are all things that go when you’re concentrating on something else … It’s a big distraction, because I do worry about my health.’ (Shed 2 member).
‘I’ve got Alzheimer’s, so being here helps me on that, because it gives me something to put attention on and it just seems to help my mind. My memory, I can remember things from here … and can get a bit of reality.’ (Shed 5 member).
Having a distraction and sense of escape provided them with increased feelings of strength to manage or cope with symptoms of illness, such as pain or memory loss. Across members with and without reported health issues, taking part in practical workshop activities was also found to increase member’s physical movement.
‘I was limping so badly … the pain in my feet and mobility was so restricted … So I’ve found my strength is gradually building up and the stamina is building up too … because I’m spending more time on my feet and doing things so your keeping occupied and not necessarily standing still in one spot.’ (Shed 5 member).
Taking part in physical activity was particularly important for those with physical health issues, such as arthritis or trauma injuries, to help them manage symptoms and aid recovery.
Three of the five Sheds invited educational speakers, such as health workers and nurses, to talk to the men about health issues such as strokes and bowel cancer. This included talks on specific male health problems, such as prostate and testicular cancer.
‘Two doctors came down and they spoke about strokes and how to avoid them, and people who normally don’t speak were asking questions because they don’t want a stroke … So now they know a lot.’ (Shed 1 member).
As a result of receiving these educational health talks, a number of Shed members reported increased willingness to improve their health-seeking behaviours. This was particularly relevant to members without any reported diagnosed health issues as a way to educate themselves on preventative lifestyle measures.
‘Because we’ve had people in talking about health, it sort of triggers you to sort of think well I need to start looking after myself, and I have done that … I’ve cut out lots of sugar, I don’t drink anymore, things like that.’ (Shed 1 member).
‘We had the doctors in the other day there … so I actually did a lot more research into that on the internet … it’s actually made me think about my health more … I have lost a stone and a half in the past couple of months.’ (Shed 2 member).
Most notably, talking to health professionals, as well as other Shed members about sensitive and personal issues in a supportive environment led to decreases in excessive alcohol use of members that had addiction issues.
‘I’m not even drinking a quarter of what I used to … during the day I don’t touch it, but before actually I was going through a bottle and a half in a week before … So, if the Men’s Shed wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here to tell the story … I’d have drunk myself to death.’ (Shed 2 member).
‘There are a few guys in there already have similar problems (with alcohol) to me and I can see the benefit in them, they can see the benefit in me. So, we work with each other and talk to each other, so everybody benefits.’ (Shed 4 member).
Further, as a result of educational health talks some members reported decreasing their levels of tobacco intake as a way to preserve their ability to attend the Shed in the future, and to enable them to take part in Shed activities that required physical exertion. Resultantly, members felt that opportunities to talk to health professionals in their own comfortable Shed environment, rather than attending a formal health care service, were a vital form of harm prevention.
Social/ interactive aspects
In providing space for socialising and interacting, the Sheds fostered an environment where men could talk to each other about their life experiences, including personal issues and health concerns. Shed members reported that as well as interacting in designated social areas in the Sheds, working ‘shoulder to shoulder’ (Shed 1 member) with other men in a workshop environment provided opportunities to converse. This was often a more comfortable option for those who lacked confidence or ability to sit down and talk face to face with other men.
For many, the social aspects of the Sheds were more important than the practical, particularly for those not interested in workshop activities.
‘Like they say, a problem shared is a problem halved because I’ve met a few guys who’ve gone through much more strokes than I have and they’ll say, “Don’t worry”, and I’ll toss them a wee bit of the benefit of my advice to them of my personal circumstances.’ (Shed 2 member).
Sheds were found to offer a socially acceptable ‘safe space’ (Shed 3 member) for men, to talk openly about their health problems, in particular those with mental health concerns, where opportunities may have not have previously existed in typical male environments, such as bars and sports clubs.
‘In a drinking club, it’s not discussed. At a dart’s club, things are not discussed. Here, you could if you wanted to, open up and you’d grab somebody and tell them what struggles you have and I think everybody here would give you a bit of help, guidance or support.’ (Shed 4 member).
Further, for those with reported diagnosed health issues, having opportunities to talk to other members about their concerns was found to improve their perspective on their own health.
‘I come in here and I talk to some of the other guys in here, and see they’re still going with things that are 10 times worse than mine, and it kind of changes your viewpoint.’ (Shed 1 member).
Sharing experiences of illness and adversity with other Shed members gave individuals an increased confidence and motivation to not let their illness dictate their lives and to aid their recovery.
Inclusive/ supportive aspects
All of the Sheds aimed to provide a space that was inclusive and supportive, and where men of all backgrounds are welcomed. For example, two of the Sheds introduced an induction system whereby new members were partnered with an existing Shed member to help them to integrate. In creating an inclusive space, members with reported health issues found that they had gained a great deal of social support from other members to help them to overcome illness or adversity. Support also extended outside of Shed hours with members providing regular phone call or visits to check up on those at home or in hospital.
‘When I was off and was sitting in the house I used to get a phone call every day saying ‘are you wanting to see anybody?’ So then someone from the Shed would come up and it was great because you think ‘they’re thinking about me’. So that builds your confidence up, so the quicker I get better the quicker I can get in among it again.’ (Shed 3 member).
Gaining such support from members was found to increase men’s confidence and motivation to address health issues that had caused physical or mental setbacks.
‘I couldn’t speak to anybody when I came out the coma (after brain injury) and basically I didn’t know who my wife was, didn’t know who my children were, I was harming myself … but I got the help that I needed from this Shed. They were calming me down, putting me into meetings and saying, “If you don’t know, just ask”, and I did.’ (Shed 4 member).
In particular, men reported that in sharing experiences and gaining support and guidance from other men who had been through similar adversity they felt less alone with their illness, which aided their ability to recover.
‘There’s other folk here who’ve been through the exact same things as me and they can tell you the exact way to get through it, you’re not just dealing with it yourself.’ (Shed 2 member).
‘I’ve been diagnosed with this non-benign tremor. So, having a chat with the other boys, they’ve got something similar, so you’re not on your own so you just get on with it. Toughen up sort of idea.’ (Shed 2 member).
Gaining social support from other men was found to be particularly important for men with reported diagnosed mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, as a way to open up in a safe and secure male environment free of stigma.
‘In the British culture men don’t talk much about mental health, they don’t want to show their weakness … I’ve started talking to people who’ve been through depression or know where I’m coming from … .so I find that its actually helpful for me, but I’m sure others also benefited as well from talking to me.’ (Shed 5 member).
‘Men need somewhere to discuss things freely … Men don’t tend to do that, they bottle it up, they don’t want to ask you about this, they don’t want to ask you about that, whereas here over a cup of tea they’ll open up’ (Shed 5 member).
Shed members without professionally diagnosed mental health issues also felt that they were able to overcome symptoms related to anxiety and depression simply through gaining support from other Shed members, rather than relying on professional health services.