JeffCo Health Board Update: 6/16/2021

This week we pay tribute to the fathers, grandfathers and men who step up and make a difference in our lives. June is also observed as Men’s Health Month. So how healthy is that important man in your life? When was the last time he had a physical or participated in preventive screenings? Statistics indicate men are 24% less likely than women to have an annual physical. I have heard it said that men are more likely to take their car in for a tune-up than themselves.

There are many reasons men are reluctant to seek regular health care. One basic reason is time, especially when that means missing work. As a pediatric nurse, I noticed we did a much better job of transitioning our adolescent girls into adult health care than we did with our young men. Developing a relationship with a primary care provider is an important step in preventative care.

Preventative health is all about identifying and treating medical conditions early or stopping them from developing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nearly 15% of men are in fair or poor health due to preventable diseases and irregular medical care. Regular health care visits provide opportunities to discuss risk factors like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, to participate in cancer screenings and discus healthy lifestyle choices.

Currently, men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women and lead 9 out of the 10 top causes of death. Men are at greater risk for death in every age group. Let’s use this heightened time of awareness of men’s health to influence the men and boys in our lives to seek early detection and treatment of disease and to promote health lifestyles. Encourage your male loved ones to exercise, eat well and regularly visit their health care provider to stay mentally and physically well.

“Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.” Congressman Bill Richardson, May 1994.