Whether it's asking for driving directions or advice on fixing things around the house, many men don't like to ask for help. But that do-it-yourself attitude can have more drastic consequences than getting lost on family vacations. When men don't ask for help with their health, their lives could be in danger.
A matter of neglect
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, women live about 5 years longer than men. One possible reason for this difference is that men don't always take care of themselves.
"Men tend to neglect themselves," says David Gremillion, MD, a spokesman for the Men's Health Network, an educational organization dedicated to men's health.
It's true. Women are more likely to take care of their health and see a doctor right away if they're having problems. In a survey by the Commonwealth Fund, a philanthropic foundation that promotes good health, men were 3 times more likely than women to say they hadn't seen a doctor in the previous year. And 27 percent of men reported not having a regular doctor despite having health insurance.
Men don't just avoid regular health checkups. In the survey, 24 percent said they would wait as long as possible before seeing a doctor, even if they were sick or in pain.
Trained to act tough
Dr. Gremillion believes the reason men have a problem seeking medical help is a social one.
"[Men] have been socialized to ignore discomfort," he says.
Boys are often encouraged not to cry or to tough it out when they get hurt. They also see the men in their lives avoiding the doctor. As a result, men are less likely to seek help when they get older, says Dr. Gremillion.
"[Men] equate seeking healthcare with an overall feeling of weakness and powerlessness," he says.
Avoiding healthcare can make men more vulnerable to the effects of illnesses such as:
Heart disease. Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death for men in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Stroke. According to a study in the journal Stroke, men are 4 times more likely to have a stroke caused by clogged arteries than women are.
Prostate cancer. Not all the experts agree that there is enough evidence to warrant routine prostate cancer screening. The American Cancer Society and the American Urological Association recommend that men talk with their doctors about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening.
Depression. Men are more likely to die by suicide than women are, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In many cases, suicide comes as a surprise to the man's friends and loved ones.
"Men often mask their depression," says Dr. Gremillion. "Even those closest to them are [often] not aware of their depression until some catastrophic event."
3 reasons to hope for change
Convincing men to take their health more seriously isn't easy. It's possible, though. Three things may help men become more focused on their health:
1. Sex.
With the availability of drugs for erectile dysfunction, men may be more likely to go to the doctor if they have sexual problems. And when men do seek help for impotence, doctors can then find out what's really causing their sexual troubles.
"Impotence is most often a sign of something else going wrong," says Dr. Gremillion.
According to the Urology Care Foundation, conditions that can cause impotence include:
- Clogged arteries.
- Diabetes.
- Kidney or liver failure.
- Alcoholism.
2. Family.
According to Dr. Gremillion, men often feel more comfortable going to the doctor if the women in their lives ask them to.
"Most of the men who have come in to see me have come in because they've been encouraged to do so and sometimes pushed to do so by the woman in their life," says Dr. Gremillion.
Men may also be more likely to stay healthy if they feel needed.
Men will protect their health if they feel valuable to society, says Dr. Gremillion.
3. The Internet.
Internet access allows men to point and click their way to a wide variety of health information.
"You can get an enormous amount of information, you can do it in complete privacy [and] you can make a personal decision about that without admitting weakness or vulnerability," says Dr. Gremillion.
Of course, the Internet isn't a substitute for a doctor. But learning about the need for screening or the symptoms of disease may help men know when they need to see a doctor. Becoming more educated about health could also help men realize that it's OK to ask for help.
"It is not unmanly to ask for help," says Dr. Gremillion.
The providers at Crossing Rivers Health are ready to answer any questions you have relating to men's health concerns. Please contact the Crossing Rivers Health clinic at 608.357.2500 to make an appointment today.
reviewed 5/12/2016