Whatever gift you give to recognize Father’s Day this year, be sure you also give Dad and any other men in your life a caring nudge to take better care of themselves.
According to statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) men die at higher rates than women from all of the top ten causes of death in the United States. This includes death from cancer, diabetes, heart, kidney, and liver disease as well as suicide, and accidents.
The situation is considered a silent health crisis, the fact that, on average, American men live sicker, and die younger that American women. Factors contributing to this crisis include poor health habits, failure to seek medical attention, lack of health insurance, and being employed in dangerous occupations. In fact 24 out of 25 dangerous occupations are done by men.
In an effort to heighten awareness of men’s health issues the week leading up to and including Father\’s Day, June 11-17 is recognized as National Men’s Health Week. ‑‑
National Men’s Health Week was established in 1994 by a joint senate resolution by Senator Bob Dole. The goal of this annual week long observance is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.‑
“One important step men should take is getting a yearly check-up from a doctor, starting between the ages of 30 to 40,” said Victor Santillan, M.D.‑ General Medicine Physician and Board Certified General Surgeon based in Tyrone. “The best chance of avoiding diseases that afflict men are through prevention, self examination, and regular physician visits. This allows for early detection and treatment of disease. Diseases caught in their early stages, can generally be treated more successfully.”
What health issues are most relevant to men? Cardiovascular disease, prostate disease, cancer (particularly prostate, testicular, lung, and colorectal cancer), diabetes, erectile dysfunction, skin cancer, low testosterone, depression, and osteoporosis.‑
Dr. Santillan said men can be their own worst enemy when it comes to their health.‑
“Men are socialized differently, they are taught to ignore pain. As a result men tend to avoid or delay seeking medical care, even when their body is telling them something is wrong.”
There are plenty of reasons for men to pay attention to their health.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death and the cause of half of all male deaths.
Statistics from the American Cancer Society indicate that lung cancer is the top cancer killer of men with prostate and colon cancer the second and third most deadly cancers for men.
‑The Commonwealth Fund, a social and healthcare research foundation conducted a Men’s and Women’s Health Study, that revealed: four out of ten men have not been tested for prostate cancer; six out of ten men age 50 or older had not been tested for colon cancer; more than half of all men have not had a physical exam in the past year and more than half of all men have not had a blood cholesterol test in the past year.
‑Dr. Santillan said sometimes health screenings are offered at community events and some employers offer health screenings in the workplace.
“Men should take advantage of these screenings. Screenings are not a substitute for physician care. But, they can help identify a health concern that needs further investigation by a physician.‑The information you get from a screening may help motivate you to schedule that long overdue check-up.”
Senior citizens and others with Medicare can take advantage of preventive services and screenings for which they may be eligible. Medicare pays for a full range of preventive services and screenings such as colorectal and prostate cancer screenings and diabetes and cardiovascular screenings.
‑Dr. Santillan said most all of the exams and testing men need are available locally through Tyrone Hospital and its affiliated medical staff.
In recognition of National Men’s Health Week, a variety of information on men’s health will be available at a display in the main lobby at Tyrone Hospital. Individuals can access information through Father’s Day weekend on such topics as testicular self exam, important health concerns for men, colon cancer, prostate cancer, a checklist of checkups and screenings that are recommended for men at various stages in life, and much more.
Information on men’s health is also available by visiting the men’s health network at www.menshealthnewtwork.org or call Dr. Santillan at 684-5399.
