The gap begins in the classroom, said Jakub Chabik, engineer, academic lecturer and co-founder of the Association for Boys and Men, in an interview with the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
Boys who struggle with sitting still, maintaining concentration and working in silence are quickly labeled inattentive or disruptive, he said, pushing them toward the margins of the education system. A mismatch in curriculum content and a lack of male role models compounds the problem.
"Education level affects health, life expectancy, relationships, income — basically everything", Chabik said.
The consequences carry into adulthood. Men are more likely to enter physically demanding, health-damaging occupations, less likely to seek preventive care and tend to visit doctors only when illness is already advanced, he said.
Poland's male-female life expectancy gap exceeds seven years, compared with three to four years in Western Europe. The healthcare system has not responded adequately, Chabik argued.
"The state runs broad prevention programs for women, and for men — mainly social media campaigns", he said, pointing to the absence of practical measures such as mobile screening units or systematic reminders for check-ups.
Chabik stressed the issue is not a conflict between the sexes but a societal one, with ripple effects on relationships, families and demographics. Some young women, he noted, report difficulty finding partners due to deficits in social and communication skills among men.
"Neglected boys grow into men with problems — health problems, social problems, relationship problems", he said.
He called for state action on two fronts: reforming the education model and building real, targeted men's health prevention programs.
"This is not a policy for one sex — it's an investment in the future of society", Chabik said.
(jh)
Source: PAP