Happy Father’s Day! Men’s Health Issues

June 20th, 2015

Father’s day is a time to thank our dads for the sacrifices they made to make us who we are today.  It’s also a time to talk about men’s health.  Here are some facts that you should be aware about  (unfortunately, it’s mostly bad news but you can change most of it!):

• Men generally live shorter lives than women.
• Men in the US are less likely to have health insurance coverage than women. If you don’t have insurance coverage and live in the US, find out if you qualify here.
• Men are more likely to smoke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, and work in dangerous professions such as firefighting, mining, and  law enforcement.  It’s important that you stop using tobacco products and drink alcohol responsibly (<2 drinks in 24 hours).
• Men have higher rates of heart disease.  Some of this can be attributed to uncontrolled chronic issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.  Men are less likely to have regular physicals and routine medical follow-ups that can detect and treat these issues before they cause more serious problems. Get your annual physical this month!
• Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men.  Discuss prostate screening with your healthcare provider.