Social Shedding: Identification and Health of Men's Sheds Users

Objective: Extant research has previously found several benefits of community Men's Sheds. Drawing on social identity theory, we examine the extent to which membership in Men's Sheds can influence the quality of life of Men's Sheds users. Method: We surveyed 322 Men's Sheds users in Australia on 4 quality of life domains and their willingness to take health advice offered at the sheds. Results: Social identity was found to be a significant predictor of physical health, psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains of quality of life, as well as willingness to accept health advice. Conclusions: Our exploratory findings enrich the existing knowledge on the benefits of community men's groups. We highlight the potential importance of social identity (particularly ingroup ties) among Men's Sheds members. These initial insights may be beneficial for future research and the promotion of men's engagement with health information and practice.