Most men are aware of the value of a healthy diet and regular exercise. A recent survey by Harris Poll for Orlando Health, however, suggests that they might be neglecting an important part of being healthy: regular visits to their family doctor.
One-third of men in the survey said they didn’t need to see a doctor every year. Additionally, roughly 65% of them think they are healthier than their friends and neighbors just by virtue of being themselves.
While males may not be visiting their doctor, the poll did find that they were actively searching the web for health-related information. Roughly two-thirds of them said they had sought guidance on social media.
An additional key result was that males typically prioritize the wants and needs of others before their own, even when it comes to their pets. About 40% of them admitted they would rather put their pet’s health first than their own.
Why are yearly checkups so essential?
Even if you think you’re healthy and feel well, it’s crucial to have an annual physical, according to Dr. Bruce R. Kava, professor of urology and director of men’s health at the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Kava saw a reduction in male patients seeking medical attention between the ages of 20 and 55. But he thinks that now is the time for them to start prioritizing their health and looking into preventative measures.
He said that early diagnosis can help us treat or prevent serious ailments like heart disease and cancer. According to Kava, excessive blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and abnormal blood lipids are just a few of the causes of major cardiovascular events in men, which can be fatal in up to 30% of cases.
He continued by saying that many additional conditions, including endocrine abnormalities, sleep apnea, peripheral vascular disease, cancer, substance abuse, depression, and so on, can go undetected.
Health risks associated with using social media for medical advice
The Dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, stated that all people self-diagnose. However, he cautions against relying only on online or social media resources when it comes to matters of health.
First, he remarked that there is a lot of misunderstanding out there. The misuse of false information was on full display during COVID-19, as I see it. Halkitis, secondly, advises against self-diagnosis at all costs. If you have any health-related questions, it’s best to go to your doctor instead of searching online.
Halkitis warns that a false diagnosis is also possible. Because of this, you might not seek help in time to prevent a problem from getting worse.
As Halkitis put it, “I think we’ve seen numerous situations on television over the course of the last few years that show situations where people have avoided issues with their feet or issues with lumps on the body and, as a result, how those have taken a toll on their lives physically, emotionally, and socially.”
What’s the takeaway? It’s best to let doctors and nurses handle diagnosis and care.
Prioritizing health care
According to Kava, many men in our culture view themselves as providers and, as a result, put their own medical care requirements below those of their families. However, remember to prioritize your own health and well-being. He remarked, “You’ll have a longer and healthier life span if you catch underlying disorders early on.” That’s why doctors recommend regular checkups, especially for men.
Family care expert Dr. Thomas Kelley from Orlando Health Physician Associates says that men often put off going to the doctor out of fear. The same can be said for healthcare avoidance, as Halkitis remarked: Fear is an extremely misunderstood and understudied driver of healthcare avoidance. He used his own family’s story—his father had died at age 57 from a dread of doctors—to illustrate his point. The cancer in his stomach had already metastasized by the time he got to a doctor.