Why Men don’t (but should) Visit the Doctor

June is Men’s Health Month, a time to bring awareness to preventable disease and illness while supporting men’s health initiatives. Whether it’s your brother, father, grandfather, husband, nephew, or son, a healthy life begins with preventative care. And that starts with seeing your doctor.

According to the CDC, heart disease and cancer remain the leading causes of death among males in the United States. Early detection along with healthy lifestyle modifications can improve a patient’s prognosis and make treatment more likely to be successful.

Top Health Risks for Men

Men tend to avoid going to the doctor, but fear of what the doctor might say or being vulnerable can result in more serious health concerns. Surveys conducted show 65% of men will avoid going to their doctor as long as possible, while 20% disclosed they are not always truthful when speaking with their physician about their health. This puts men’s health at a greater risk of delaying treatment for preventable or easily treatable conditions.

Some of the most common health issues among men are:

• Cardiovascular disease – The leading cause of death in men, killing 1 out of every 4 males in the U.S.
• Prostate cancer – The most common form of cancer in men. Survival rates are high with early detection, yet it remains the second leading cause of cancer death in men.
• Depression – An estimated 6 million men suffer from depression, but men are statistically less likely than women to seek help or acknowledge they have it.
• Aortic aneurysm – Men develop aortic aneurysms more often than women. Aneurysms that rupture are usually fatal, with a mortality rate of 80-90%.
• Diabetes – Men are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women due to storing more belly fat. This puts men at greater risk for kidney failure, stroke, or amputation.

Consequences of Putting off Your Doctor’s Visit

By putting off a visit to your physician, you miss catching medical conditions in their early stages or when there are “silent symptoms”. Waiting until you start showing symptoms, or for them to get worse, can have serious consequences – you may need an amputation, dialysis, or your disease may no longer be treatable and becomes terminal.

Prioritize Your Health

Don’t wait to take control of your health, the board-certified physicians and specialists at Catholic Health will work with you to ensure the best outcomes possible throughout your course of treatment. If it’s been a while since you last saw a physician, we encourage you to schedule an appointment for a wellness exam, even if you are not sick. Developing a trusting relationship with your doctor ensures that you will remain healthy and have a better quality of life.

 

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