Men’s Health Month
The Men’s Health Network is encouraging us to be a part of this observation and if observing the entire month does not fit into your schedule, consider observing Men’s Health Week June15-21, 2009.
The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection of disease among men and boys. In 1994 Congressman Bill Richardson stated,”Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters and significant others, men’s health is truly a family issue”.
The Center for Disease Control states that:
Men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death and are victims of over 92% of workplace deaths. In 1920 women lived on average one year longer than men. Now men on average die six years earlier than women.
There is a silent health crisis in America; American men live sicker and die younger than American women states Dr. David Gremillion of the Men’s Health Network.
Part of the reason for this health gap is that men don’t take care of themselves as well as women do. Men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behavior, less likely to adopt preventive health measures , less likely to have health insurance, more likely to work in dangerous occupations, and more likely to put off going to the doctor. As a result, men die younger of heart disease, strokes, cancer (esp. Testicular, Prostrate, Colon, Skin ,Lung and Occasionally Breast and Throat Cancer) diabetes, homicide and suicide, injuries, depression , anxiety, addictive behavior (drugs and alcohol), and many other diseases.
More than half of the premature deaths among men are preventable. But you can’t prevent a problem if you don’t know it exist.
The Men’s Health Network has a maintenance schedule for men as a reminder of their need to take responsibility for safe guarding your health. Regular checkups and age appropriate screening can improve your health and reduce premature deaths and disability. These checkups include; Physical Exams, Blood Pressure, TB Skin Test, Blood & Urine Test (cholesterol, diabetes, kidney, liver & thyroid) EKG, Tetanus Booster, Rectal, Prostrate, Digital Rectal Exam Hemocule, Colorectal Screen, Chest X-ray, Self Exam Testicles & Breast, Bone Density, Testosterone, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases to include HIV/AIDS. Diseases common to African American Men are Sickle Cell Anemia and Facial Hair problems due to shaving
This schedule can be downloaded from www.menshealthnetwork.org; a shower hanger with directions for self exams is available at www.menshealthnetwork.org also.
Women against Prostrate Cancer state that some health conditions run in the family so, it is important to know your family’s health history. Create your own family medical tree by talking with siblings, parents and other family members. Work back as many generations as you can, include birth dates and cause of death.
Sites for Men’s Health Information are: www.blueprintsformen’shealth.com; www.men’shealthnetwork.org; www.healthcareclinicsonline.com; www.healthassestments.com; www.men’shealthlibrary.com.
Men’s health issues don’t affect only men; it impacts everyone around them. Women need to educate themselves about potential male health problems and share that information with the men they love. It may save a life. Encourage the men in your life to realize that even the smallest symptom can sometimes be serious and may need to be discussed with a doctor.
More Information about the Men’s Health Net Work Programs and Initiatives can be requested from Men’s Health Network PO Box75972 Washington DC 20013. 202 543 MHN -1(6461) or @ Info@menshealthnetwork.org and Men, Healthline 888 MEN-2MEN.
Proverbs 9:9 says “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.