Aims:

Through benevolence, leadership and partnership, the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Well-being – Northern Territory (FCMHW-NT) aims to drive, enable and support outstanding male health and well-being research that:

  • Generates new knowledge
  • Is responsive to consumer and stakeholder priorities
  • Embraces innovation
  • Is broadly disseminated and published in peer-reviewed academic journals
  • Advances health education, policy and practice
  • Responds to social, economic and environmental determinants of health
  • Promotes health equity through intersectoral action
  • Enhances health promotion, prevention and early intervention efforts
  • Is culturally responsive
  • Improves population health and well-being outcomes across the lifecourse
  • Has an enduring impact on individuals, families and communities

In addition, the FCMHW-NT aims to support the development of the next generation of leading researchers while catalysing funding opportunities and further investment in male health and well-being research, policy and practice initiatives.

Objectives:
  • Secure optimal health and well-being for males, their families and communities.
  • Support strong leadership and capacity building in male health and well-being research.
  • Ensure beneficence of Freemasons SA/NT philanthropy.
Summary:

The Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Well-being (FCMHW) reflects a partnership between Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies), the University of Adelaide, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and the Masonic Charities Trust. It involves the establishment of two Divisions – one in South Australia, the other in the Northern Territory. Menzies is leading the NT Division, called the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Well-being Northern Territory (FCMHW-NT).

Established in mid-2020, the FCMHW-NT supports world-leading, multidisciplinary research excellence in male health and well-being. In doing so, the FCMHW-NT is focused on improving the health and wellbeing of boys and men, including that of their family and communities.

Over the next three years, the FCMHW-NT will embark on research covering five key themes:

  • Indigenous male health
  • Boys and young men’s health
  • Equity and social determinants of health (including employment, education and justice)
  • Fathers and families
  • Social and emotional wellbeing (including healing, alcohol and other drugs, gambling, and mental health)

Through this focus, research projects delivered through the FCMHW-NT will help position both Divisions as national and global leaders in men’s health research.

Chief investigator:
Project manager:
Key staff:
Contact info:

 

Project dates:
  • July 2020 - June 2024
  1. Smith, J., Merlino, A., Christie, B., Adams, M., Bonson, J., Osborne, R., Drummond, M., Judd, B., Aanundsen, D., Fleay, J. & Gupta, H. (In Press). Using social media in health literacy research: A promising example using Facebook with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males from the Top End of the Northern Territory. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. 00-1-16. (https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.421)
  2. Smith, J., Watkins, D. & Griffith, D. (2020). Fostering transnational research partnerships to advance men’s health. American Journal of Men’s Health. July-August, 1-2. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1557988320936893)
  3. Smith, J., Watkins, D. & Griffith, D. (2020). Equity, gender, and health: New directions for global men’s health promotion. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. 31 (2), 161-165. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hpja.337)
  4. Adamson, E. & Smith, J., (2020). Exploring the links between fathering, masculinities and health and wellbeing for migrant fathers: Implications for policy and practice. International Journal of Men’s Social & Community Health. 3 (3), e58-e65. (https://ijmsch.com/index.php/IJMSCH/article/view/36/23)
  5. Merlino, A., Clifford, & Smith, J. (2020). Alcohol and gender: commentary on new frontiers for health policy and practice in Australia. Drug and Alcohol Review. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.13166).
  6. Merlino, A., Smith, J., Christie, B., Bonson, J., Adams, M., Judd, B., Aanundsen, D., Drummond, M., Osborne, R. & Fleay, J. (2020). What do we know about the nexus between culture, age, gender and health literacy? Implications for improving the health and wellbeing of young Indigenous males. International Journal of Men’s Social and Community Health. 3 (2), e46-e57. (https://ijmsch.com/index.php/IJMSCH/article/view/34/27)
  7. Smith, J., Griffith, D., White, A., Baker, P., Watkins, D., Drummond, M. & Semlow, A. (2020). COVID-19, equity and men’s health: Using evidence to inform future public health policy, practice and research responses in pandemics. International Journal of Men’s Social and Community Health. (https://ijmsch.com/index.php/IJMSCH/article/view/42/21)
  8. Smith, J., Merlino, A., Christie, B., Adams, M., Bonson, J., Osborne, R., Judd, B., Drummond, M., Aanundsen, D. & Fleay, J. (2020). “Dudes are meant to be tough as nails”: The nexus between masculinities, culture, and health literacy from the perspective of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males – Implications for policy and practice. American Journal of Men’s Health. May-June, 1-17. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1557988320936121)
  9. Smith, J., Drummond, M., Adams, M., Bonson, J. & Christie, B. (2019). Understanding men’s health inequities in Australia (Chapter 31, p498-509) In D. Griffiths, M. Bruce & R. Thorpe (Ed), Men’s Health Equity: A Handbook. New York, Routledge.
  10. Richardson, N., Smith, J., Robertson, S. & Baker, P. (2019). Global men’s health policy (Chapter 13, p202-222). In D. Griffiths, M. Bruce & R. Thorpe (Ed), Men’s Health Equity: A Handbook. New York, Routledge.
  11. Smith, J., Christie, B., Bonson, J., Adams, M., Osborne, R., Judd, B., Drummond, M., Aanundsen, D. & Fleay, J. (2019). Health literacy among young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in the Northern Territory. Report prepared for the Lowitja Institute. Darwin, Menzies School of Health Research (ISBN 978-1-922104-60-1). (https://www.menzies.edu.au/icms_docs/307177_Final_Report_-_Health_Literacy_Among_Young_Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_Males_in_the_Northern_Territory.pdf)
  12. Smith, J., Adams, M. & Bonson, J. (2018). Investment in men’s health in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. 208 (1), 6-7.

 

  1. NT News | Menzies takes on an "amazing young man"

    NT News | Menzies takes on an "amazing young man"

    Date

    Aboriginal Territorian and aspiring health researcher Jahdai Vigona received a big rap from his boss....

  2. ABC News | Men's health

    ABC News | Men's health

    Date

    Menzies Indigenous project assistant, Jahdai Vigona talks about why it is important for more young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men to enter the health workforce.

  3. ABC NEWS | Training workshop targets Aboriginal men for community health roles

    ABC NEWS | Training workshop targets Aboriginal men for community health roles

    Date

    Growing up on the Tiwi Islands, Jahdai Vigona said he became passionate about improving the lives of Aboriginal people.

  4. Aboriginal students among CDU honorees at NT Training Awards

    Aboriginal students among CDU honorees at NT Training Awards

    Date

    Jahdai Vigona, won this year’s award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year.

  5. MEDIA RELEASE: Boost for male health as Flinders University joins research alliance

    MEDIA RELEASE: Boost for male health as Flinders University joins research alliance

    Date

    Flinders joins the Masonic Charities Trust and existing FCMHW research partners the University of Adelaide, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and Menzies School of Health Research.

  6. Understanding health literacy among young Aboriginal men and boys in the NT

    Understanding health literacy among young Aboriginal men and boys in the NT

    Date

    New research is showing how Facebook can be useful to develop broader understandings of health literacy among young Aboriginal males in the Northern Territory.

  7. Launch of the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing NT

    Launch of the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing NT

    Date

    View the Darwin launch of the Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing .

  8. The Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing (FCMHW) is set to launch in the Northern Territory

    The Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing (FCMHW) is set to launch in the Northern Territory

    Date

    The research alliance will initially involve Masonic Charities, Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies), the University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, with the potential for other groups to join in future.