A short guide to long-term conditions

From ME to MS, Parkinson's to prostate and depression to dementia, here's a quick guide to the more common long-term conditions and where to find out more about them...

Anxiety and depression

• affects about 4.3 million people in the UK
• This was the theme for last year's men's health week so start here for all the links both on malehealth and elsewhere on the web: 'You talkin' to me'

Arthritis

• affects about 9 million people in the UK including an estimated 3.7 million men. 
• Check out 'I'm much happier, truthful and accepting of myself' written by a young man living with the disease .
• For everything you need to know about arthritis visit the website of Arthritis Care.

Asthma

• affects about 2.6 million people in the UK severely
• Our FAQs on asthma and useful links

Dementia

• affects about 700,000 people in the UK
• Our FAQs on dementia and useful links

Diabetes

• about 2 million people have been diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes
• Our FAQs on diabetes and useful links

Epilepsy

• affects around 456,000 people
• Epilepsy Action

Heart Failure

• affects around 740,000 people
• Our FAQs on heart disease and useful links

HIV

• around 42,500 people in the UK have been diagnosed
• Our FAQs on HIV and useful links

Inflammatory bowel disease

• affects around 180,000 people in the UK
• Our FAQs on bowel problems and useful links

Multiple Sclerosis

• affects around 85,000 people in the UK
• Multiple Sclerosis Society

ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)

• affects around 250,000 people in the UK
• Our background briefing on ME
• Check out 'The consultant told me my illness didn't exist' written by a man with ME.
• ME Association
• Action for ME have produced a booklet about Men and ME.

Migraine

• The Migraine Action Association estimate that 1 in 8 people in the UK have migraines. People with migraine experience an average of 13 attacks each year. It affects twice as many women as men.
• Migraine Action Association

Parkinson's Disease

• affects around 120,000 people in the UK
• Parkinson's Disease Society

Prostate cancer

• around 150,000 men live with long-term prostate cancer
• Our FAQs on prostate problems and useful links

Skin problems

• exact figures for all the various skin disorders together are difficult to find but it is estimated by the British Association of Dermatologists that 15% of all the patients who see a GP will be seeking help for a skin condition. 
• Our FAQs on skin problems and useful links