Men’s health week June 15 – 21

by Gina DeMent, Public Information Officer
Five County Mental Health Authority

Men’s Health Week, June 15 – 21, 2009, is an excellent time to take inventory of your health, make changes to add more years to your life and more life to your years.

Did you know that, on average, men are less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy than women? Part of the reason for this health gap is that men do not take care of themselves as well as women do. Men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behavior and less likely than women to adopt preventive health measures. Men are also less likely to have health insurance, more likely to work in dangerous occupations, and more likely to put off going to the doctor when they should really go. As a result, men die younger-and in greater numbers – of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and many other diseases.

The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys, as well as recognizing early symptoms of disease. Men’s health issues don’t affect only men: they have a significant impact on everyone around them. More than half of premature deaths of men are preventable, but you can’t prevent a problem if you don’t know it exists. What you should do is educate yourself about potential male health problems.

When a warning light flashes on the car dashboard, most men usually take the car to the shop. But when warning lights flash on their body, most men don’t (or won’t) notice. Here are a few flashing lights you should look out for:

Changes in bowel or bladder habits. This can be an indication of prostate or bladder problems. And blood in the urine is a common indicator of kidney problems. Do you get up numerous times a night to go to the bathroom? That could be a symptom of an enlarged prostate, a common condition among men as they get older.

Impotence or erectile dysfunction. Most of the time, erectile problems are caused by an underlying health problem, such as diabetes, clogged arteries, or high blood pressure.

Persistent backaches, changes in the color of urine or stool, obvious changes in warts or moles, unusual lumps, recurrent chest pains or headaches, bleeding that won’t stop; nagging cough, unexplained weight loss, and extreme fatigue can all be symptoms of serious health problems.

Depression. Although women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to succeed. Because men are reluctant to ask for help and may try to hide their depression, the people around them may recognize the symptoms sooner than they do. These may include acting overly anxious, having trouble sleeping, complaining of feeling sad, empty or helpless, engaging in unusually risky or reckless behavior, or losing interest in hobbies or other pleasurable activities.

In honor of National Men’s Health Week (June 8-14), take time to encourage the men in your life to talk to their doctors about appropriate screening tests they need to stay well based on their age and risk factors. Encourage them to exercise, eat a high-fiber/low fat diet, quit smoking, and do monthly self exams. Most importantly, get them into the habit of getting regular medical checkups.

If you don’t have a family physician or can’t afford one, look for health fairs, free or low cost clinics, and free screening events in your area. You can find information on a number of programs, as well as Medicaid and Medicare, and clinical trials at www.healthclinicsonline.com. Ask your employer, community organization, or place of worship to establish a yearly health fair or screening event.

If you, a family member or friend needs help for a mental health, developmental disability, or substance abuse issue, you can call the Five County Mental Health Authority’s Helpline at 1.877.619.3761, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Remember: by taking charge of you own preventive care, you can protect your health.