Written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
Men are notorious for putting off health screenings and routine physical exams. We joke about their reluctance to seek medical treatment, but it’s not, according to physicians, a laughing matter.
“It’s a common notion that men are reluctant patients,” says SIU urologist Dr. Kevin McVary. “Often it’s the spouse or family member who brings them in. In fact, most men’s appointments are made by their spouses.”
According to the National Institutes of Health, men are also more likely than women to smoke, drink alcohol and make other unhealthy choices. These poor lifestyle choices can lead to health problems such as diabetes, infertility and erectile dysfunction. Despite advice from medical professionals, men are also less likely to adopt preventative measures to avoid certain health risks. The result of these bad behaviors: cancer and heart disease rank as the top two killers of American men.
Wondering what types of check-ups and screenings you or your loved one should be getting? Check out this chart by the Men’s Health Network.
This week is men’s health week. Perhaps it’s also the week that you make an appointment with your physician for that screening or exam you’ve been putting off. Or perhaps it’s the week to make a not-so-subtle hint to the man in your life.
It may indeed take something wrong with the penis to get a man to see a doctor, but men who take greater control of their lifestyle and pay attention to their bodies’ signals can have a dramatic, positive influence on their health — long before it reaches a level of emergency.
Read aspects magazine for more articles on the ways SIU is helping men toward optimum health by addressing and treating their urological problems, prostate cancer and sexual health.
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