Project Leader

• Professor Robert McLachlan AM

Prof Rob McLachlan is Director of Andrology Australia. Andrology Australia is an initiative, funded by the Federal Government, that co-ordinates and drives research and education on male reproductive health. Key goals include addressing knowledge gaps in andrology, and undertaking programmes to improve professional education and health services.

Andrology Australia promotes men’s health awareness to the public via community outreach campaigns aimed at encouraging men to be aware of their bodies’ and of potential symptoms of common disorders such as prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction. Men can find symptoms of reproductive disorders uncomfortable to discuss, yet preventive strategies can improve health outcomes. Therefore it is imperative that men are aware of potential symptoms, and are able to approach their doctor for help. To this end, Andrology Australia also provides education programs for health professionals, to ensure general practitioners and specialists are equipped with the skills to maximise the opportunity to improve men’s health outcomes.

Andrology Australia also co-ordinates research into men’s health. For example, the ‘Men in Australia telephone survey (MATEs)’ highlighted the prevalence and health burden of male reproductive health disorders that set the scene for the subsequent National Male Health Policy in 2010.

Andrology Australia also oversees submissions to Government on male health policy, the development of general and targeted educational programmes, such as a Male Indigenous health care workers module, and a pilot of a national undergraduate medical curriculum on male health.

Major collaborators:

Professor David Handelsman – ANZAC Research Institute
Dr Carol Holden – Andrology Australia
Prof David de Kretser – MIMR-PHI Institute
Associate Professor Doug Lording, Monash University
Professor Gail Risbridger, Monash University

Selected publications

• Holden CA, Allan CA, McLachlan RI. (2010) Male friendly’ services. Aust Fam Physician. 39 (1-2): 9-10

• Holden CA, Allan CA, McLachlan RI. (2010) Windows of opportunity: a holistic approach to men’s health. Med J Aust. 192(12):708-11

• Holden CA, McLachlan RI, Pitts M, Cumming R, Wittert G, Ehsani JP, de Kretser DM, Handelsman DJ. (2010) Determinants of male reproductive health disorders: the Men in Australia Telephone Survey (MATeS). BMC Public Health. 10:96.

• Holden CA, Jolley DJ, McLachlan RI, Pitts M, Cumming R, Wittert G, Handelsman DJ, de Kretser DM. (2006) Men in Australia Telephone Survey (MATeS): predictors of men’s help-seeking behaviour for reproductive health disorders. Med J Aust. 185: 418-422.

• Holden C, McLachlan RI, Pitts M, Cumming R, Wittert G, Handelsman D, de Kretser D. (2005) A national survey of the reproductive health and concerns of middle aged and older Australian men. The Lancet 366:218-224.

• Holden CA, McLachlan RI, Cumming R, Wittert G, Handelsman DJ, de Kretser DM, Pitts M (2005). Sexual activity, fertility and contraceptive use in middle-aged and older men: Men in Australia Telephone Survey (MATeS). Hum Reprod 20:3429-3434.