Real men do get sick. However, their reluctance to seek timely medical care can take a toll — helping in part to explain the longevity gap where women outlive men by an average of 5 to 10 years.
If men took better care of themselves, they could stretch their life spans. The reasons for pushing aside health needs include not being able to take time away from work duties, inertia, feeling invincible, feeling out of control, or a macho stereotype that views consulting a doctor as a sign of weakness.
What can men do to improve their health?
Smart Business turned to Jim Leo, M.D., associate chief medical officer of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.
How serious is the situation?
Research shows too many men stay away from physician visits and health screenings, where undiagnosed medical concerns can be discovered before they become more serious, and where risk factors for subsequent disease can be identified and addressed. While women traditionally have a history of doctors’ visits and are better educated about and less threatened by the health system, men often put their health needs on the back burner. In the work environment, managers spend so much time taking care of employees, they often forget to take care of themselves.
When do problems arise?
A stressful work environment can take its toll on one’s health. Chronic stress often translates into poor eating habits, lack of exercise, inadequate sleep and inattention to preventive health screenings. The struggle for good health is made more challenging by the sense one cannot take time away from work to see a physician.
What steps should be taken?
Regular health screenings and early intervention to alter risk factors for disease — or to treat medical conditions that screenings may discover — can add years and quality to one’s life. Rather than avoiding health screenings, men should view them as an opportunity to maintain and improve their quality of life, increase productivity at work and improve their likelihood of enjoying a healthy retirement. The best time to visit a doctor is when you are well, enabling a physician to assess your overall physical condition through proper tests and screenings and to obtain a baseline to observe future health. Having said that, it is crucial for men — who often ignore important symptoms — to schedule an appointment with their physician if they notice something out of the ordinary about their health. Like in business, one’s health is better served by being proactive.
