Hail to all the men in our lives who deserve our focus and attention this month of June!
It is very much observable that men pay lesser attention to healthcare than women.
Although women are understandably considered the weaker sex because of physical capabilities that usually limit them, men are stereotyped as strong, tough, and with a superhero-like charisma that makes them impenetrable to even the typical flu. That is why Men’s Health Month exists – to increase awareness and encourage men to seek necessary treatment and medical advice.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that men in the United States die five years earlier than women, usually due to heart disease, cancer, and unintentional injuries. This month, every man is encouraged to take complete control of their health and for families to instruct and impart healthy habits throughout childhood.
Men’s Health Month has typically been celebrated since 1992 with various national screening and educational campaigns. These screenings help identify preventable conditions and lifestyle diseases. It gives medical providers a chance to encourage and educate men and inspire young boys to be more mindful and attentive towards their overall health and wellbeing.
Why do we need to emphasize Men’s Health Month? three reasons:
- Men are unlikely to seek help from doctors rather than women. Men tend to exhibit a certain kind of fear towards a diagnosis. Views on masculinity or the “macho attitude” correlate with strength and self-reliance in men.
- Men are likely to fear a diagnosis. Men often find many reasons not to go to a doctor, such as “too busy to go” (afraid of what one should find out in laboratory exams and so on) and getting uncomfortable with exams.
3) We need to close the care gap among men and women. Men are likely willing to wait for more than two years for a doctor visit, rather than women. 40% of men don’t go to the doctor unless they have a severe issue on their hands.
Men with a traditional view on masculinity are not just less likely to submit for a doctor’s consult. Still, they are also people with a tendency to be dishonest about their symptoms. It is high time to cut this trend and foster better healthcare for the men in our lives today!