June is Men’s Health Month
This month is an opportunity for men and the people who care about us to give some thought to our health and our responsibility to maintain it so that we can achieve the projects we set out on in life and so that we can be there with strength and vitality for the people who look up to us. Taking care of our health is directly connected to pursuing our purpose and to being great brothers, partners, husbands, fathers, professionals, and members of the community.
According to Dr. David Gremillion of the Men’s Health Network, Americans have a silent health crisis where, “on average, American men live sicker and die younger than American women.” Data from the CDC in 2019 showed men to have a 40% higher annual death rate over women (USAFacts, 2021), and a major factor behind this is that “women are 33 percent more likely to visit the doctor than men, and women are 100 percent better at maintaining screening and preventive care” (Integris Health, 2019).
Consider the following for a little perspective on men’s health issues. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, and is especially of concern for African-American men (who have 1.5x the risk over the general population), men with a family history of prostate cancer, and men who have been exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. Death by homicide is higher for men than women, and is dramatically higher for Africian-American men than any other group (Men’s Health Network, 2020).
While STIs can happen at any age, the age group 15-24 represents almost half of all new infections. Amongst STIs, HPV accounts for the large majority of new infections, can cause cancer and genital warts, but also has a vaccine which can protect individuals if received before infection. Death by unintentional injury, particularly the motor vehicle death rate by male drivers, is especially high amongst new male drivers ages 16-19 and most often entailed speeding or drinking, not wearing a seatbelt, or using a phone. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, men complete suicide almost 4x more often than women, and over two thirds of suicide deaths were represented by white males.
So What Should You Do?
- Review the “Get It Checked” guidelines for men (see below)
- Visit the doctor for a yearly check up and discuss the guidelines with them
- Use your insurance plan’s free preventative coverage or look up free screening services in your community
- Discuss the guidelines with other men in your life
- Get active with other men in your life
References:
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2022, February 28). Suicide statistics. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/
Integris Health. (2019, June 12). Why don’t men see doctors? Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2019/june/why-dont-men-see-doctors
Men’s Health Network. “Child and Adolescent Injury Fact Sheet” [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved June 11, 2022 from https://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/child-adolescent-injury-facts.pdf
Men’s Health Network. “Men’s Health Facts” [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved June 11, 2022 from https://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/silenthealthcrisis.pdfhttps://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/menshealthfacts.pdf
Men’s Health Network. “The Silent Health Crisis” [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved June 11, 2022 from
USAFacts. (2021, July 1). Men are likelier to die each year than women. Black men have the highest mortality rates. USAFacts. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://usafacts.org/articles/men-die-more-often-than-women-black-men-are-the-hardest-hit/
