One of the most seldom discussed topics in healthcare is helping men see doctors more often. It’s common knowledge that most people don’t like healthcare visits — no offense, physicians! Nonetheless, men have shown a much greater reluctance to visit doctors throughout their lifespans. According to some data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men are over twice as likely to say they’ve never seen a doctor or health professional in their adult lives. That’s unacceptable! Here we’ll discuss how physicians can encourage more men to embrace preventative medicine and more:
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There are so many factors that help us explain just why men are so reluctant to visit doctors. Many opt for the “I feel healthy” argument, taking the approach that medicine is only good for serious health complications. Some may say they’re just too busy to find time for doctor visits, while others may just be embarrassed to go. Honestly, there’s always going to be the sentiment that being a brave and strong man means relying on few others and avoiding showing weakness. It’s really about communicating to the male population that being “manly” is all about prevention and routine checkups — but that’s no easy feat for lots of physicians!
Some of the most common medical issues affecting men are actually those that screenings and checkups can help the most. Of course, the preventative services men need vary by their age and health, although wellness checks once a year are recommended by most physicians. Often, men deal with
- Fatigue and Depression
- Weight Gain
- Loss of Libido
- Stress
- Cardiovascular disease
- Prostate Cancer
- Diabetes
Having the Right Conversations About Men’s Health
So what are ways the medical community is helping men see doctors? Really, it’s about addressing some of the reasons men avoid healthcare visits in the first place. Physicians can start by working to debunk the popular misconceptions that seeing a medical professional entails weakness. Even though that sounds a bit ridiculous to say out loud, it’s very much a deterrent for lots of men.
One of the critical ways professionals are helping men see doctors is by encouraging them to stick to their yearly routine screenings and tests. Given the statistics, it’s really no small feat to make preventative checkups a priority for the male population. Still, promoting and recommending the following services are always a good starting point:
- Blood Work
- Testing for fasting glucose, age-appropriate PSA, ECG
- Lipid Cholesterol panels
- Chest X-ray
- BMI and neck circumference
- Smoking cessation counseling
- Screenings for depression and erectile dysfunction
- Immunization status review
Let’s Prove You’re Feeling Fine!
Helping men see doctors all starts with your willingness as a physician to coax them into health. Sometimes it takes the assistance of a spouse to really help someone get a perspective on the importance of checkups. For those who are too stubborn for their own good, convincing them that health screenings are a matter of family health can be another approach. Husbands and fathers can tend to put others before them to a fault, so try combining appointments when possible to snag those critical checkups.
Simply having the conversation about the power of preventative medicine is a great place to start for many physicians and their male patients. It’s important to combat the notion of “I feel healthy, so I must be.” All too often some of the worst diseases affecting men like lung and prostate cancer can be caught and treated effectively in their early stages. Otherwise, there’s a great difficulty in curing such things once they’re more advanced. Other things like mental health screenings and simple cholesterol checks are other ways physicians can work to promote the long-term wellbeing of male patients.
No matter the health condition in question, it’s important for physicians to have that conversation with men and their families about taking time to consult health professionals. How are you helping men see doctors? Let us know in the comments below!
