Men's Health 101

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2003," the estimate of life expectancy at birth for the total population reached a record high of 77.6 years. This represents an increase of 0.3 years relative to 2002. Although women live longer than men, the gap between male and female life expectancy did close from 5.4 years in 2002 to 5.3 years in 2003. Men have a life expectancy of 74.8 versus 80.1 years for women.

All men saw an improvement in life expectancy. African American men can expect to live approximately 6.2 years less than White men-69.2 years versus 75.4 years-an increase of .6 years in 2002. Life expectancy also improved for Hispanic men (by 4.2 percent) and Asian-Pacific Islander men (by 3.8 percent). Death rates didn't change for American Indian men.

According to Health, U.S., 2004, men die from heart disease and chronic liver disease at nearly twice the rate of women. Suicide and violence-related deaths are four times as likely among men. In 2002, the death rate for suicide among for young American Indian males 15-24 years of age was almost 60 percent higher than their White male counterparts. In 2002, age-adjusted death rates for stroke for Asian males ages 45-54 and 55-64 years were about 15 percent higher than for White males of those ages.

Men Frequently Ignore Symptoms and Are Reluctant to Seek Care Until There Is a Crisis

A March 2000 survey by the Commonwealth Fund titled, "Out of Touch: American Men and the Health Care System," found that 24 percent of men did not see a physician in the year prior to the survey -- three times the rate found for women (8 percent).

The number of annual office visits to physicians for women (all ages) was 488 million in 2000 compared to 335 million for men in the same time period.

The delayed contact with the health care system is evident in the fact that when men do seek care they are more likely than women to seek it at a clinic or emergency room.

Studies indicate that male attitudes and behaviors concerning health are major contributors to their underutilization of preventative health care services.

Men account for a third fewer hospital stays than women but take longer to recover once in a hospital bed.

Access to Care Is a Significant Factor for Minority Men

According to an article published in the May 2003 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, Latino men and African American men are significantly less likely than White men to see a physician; 55 percent of Latino men and 45 percent of African American men do not have a doctor they see regularly.

Twice as many Mexican American men as Mexican American women report having no routine place to receive healthcare.

Men of color are also more likely to be uninsured -- 46 percent of Hispanics and 28 percent of African Americans are uninsured, compared to 17 percent of Whites.

Studies that examine how different groups of men use Medicare show that even when health insurance and income differences are accounted for Black men receive fewer preventive services than white men like flu shots and colonoscopy screening.

The American Journal of Public Health also reported that social and behavioral factors may also explain why American men especially minority men are less healthy than women.

Recommended Health Screenings for Men

Blood Cholesterol Screenings
Have your cholesterol checked at least every 5 years, starting at age 35. If you smoke, have diabetes, or if heart disease runs in your family, start having your cholesterol checked at age 20.

Blood Pressure
Have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years.

Colorectal Cancer Tests
Begin regular screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 50. Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you. How often you need to be tested will depend on which test you have.

Diabetes Tests
Have a test to screen for diabetes if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Depression
If you've felt "down," sad, or hopeless, and have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things for two weeks straight, talk to your doctor about whether he or she can screen you for depression.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Talk to your doctor to see whether you should be screened for sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV.

Prostate Cancer Screening
Talk to your doctor about the possible benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening if you are considering having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test or digital rectal examination (DRE).

(Source: Men: Stay Healthy at Any Age-Checklist for Your Next Checkup, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

For more information on men's health:

2004 National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR)
http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr05/nhqr05.htm

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
http://www.ahrq.gov

Healthy People 2010: An Overview
http://www.Healthypeople.gov

MedlinePlus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menshealthissues.html

National Center for Health Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mens_health.htm

National Women's Health Information Center
http://www.4woman.gov/mens/index.htm