Men in their mid-20s to mid-40s are in peak working and parenting years, yet Alabama’s overall life expectancy is among the nation’s lowest (72.0 in 2021), signaling preventable health loss (CDC/NCHS). Among U.S. males 25–44, leading threats include unintentional injury, suicide, homicide, and heart disease. These conditions are largely preventable or manageable with timely care (CDC/NCHS). Alabama also faces high drug overdose mortality (31.5 per 100,000), and suicide among men continues to rise nationally, with firearms the leading method (CDC). Safety matters too: recent federal victimization data show changes in reporting and persistent risks for male victims of violence, underscoring the need for prevention and support.

Solutions that Work

• Preventive care first. Annual checkups; blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screening; vaccinations (flu, COVID-19, Tdap); and substance-use screening can catch problems early (CDC).
• Injury and overdose prevention. Buckle up, don’t mix driving with alcohol or drugs, use protective gear at work/fitness, store medications and firearms safely, and keep naloxone if opioids are in the home (CDC).
• Mental well-being. Normalize stress, depression, and anxiety screening; learn firearm-injury prevention and suicide risk signs; seek counseling or peer support (CDC).
• Violence prevention. Engage in community programs, report victimization, and connect with services for survivors—approaches linked to safer communities (BJS).

What You Can Do This Month

• Book a primary-care visit and ask for BP, cholesterol, diabetes, and mental-health screening (CDC).
• Audit safety: seatbelts, helmets, ladder/work practices, and secure firearm storage (CDC).
• Secure meds and add naloxone to your first-aid kit if anyone uses opioids (CDC).
• Build a support team: a doctor, a counselor or chaplain, a workout buddy, and one friend you can call at any hour.
• Know where to report and get help after a crime; encourage peers to report as well (BJS).
• Strong bodies, steady minds, and safer communities are achievable; starting with small, consistent steps today.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024a). Mortality in the United States, 2022 (Data Brief No. 492). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db492.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024b). US state life tables, 2021 (NVSR 73[7]). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr73/nvsr73-07.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.-a). Alabama — State data. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/alabama/al.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.-b). Injuries and violence are leading causes of death (WISQARS). https://wisqars.cdc.gov/animated-leading-causes/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024c). Suicide mortality in the United States, 2002–2022 (Data Brief No. 509). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db509.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024d). PLACES: Prevention measure definitions. https://www.cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions/prevention.html

Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2024). Criminal victimization, 2023 (NCVS). https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/cv23.pdf