DOCTOR WHO!?

Tell a man the car is two weeks overdue for an oil change and you will never hear the end of it. But tell a man who has been whining about not feeling well for two weeks to go to the doctor and you could swear you just asked him to go on an eight-hour shopping trip while holding your purse. It’s an age-old phenomenon that has taken place since the first caveman caught the common cold: men avoiding the doctor.

50%

THE PERCENTAGE OF MEN WHO DIE SUDDENLY WITHOUT SYMPTOMS.

307,225

THE NUMBER OF MALE DEATHS CAUSED BY HEART DISEASE IN 2009.

SOURCE: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)

Why Men Skip The Doctor

Ladies, you know what we are talking about. But men, if you think we are making this up to make you look bad, we have the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) to back us up with its 2007 Men’s Health Study. After surveying 2,282 men and women across the country about their health behaviors, the AAFP found that more than half of all men surveyed had not seen their primary care physician for a physical exam within the past year. And while 92 percent of men said they wait only a few days before seeking medical attention, 29 percent of the men still admitted to waiting “as long as possible” before seeking help.

So why do men avoid seeking medical care like the bubonic plague? The trusty AAFP was able to dig up a few interesting answers.

• 7 percent of men said they avoid the doctor because they’re afraid of finding out something is wrong with them.

• 8 percent said they just plain don’t like doctors.

• 11 percent said they didn’t have health insurance, which prevents them from going to the doctor.

• 23 percent said they are healthy and don’t need to see the doctor.

• 36 percent said they don’t go to the doctor unless they’re extremely sick. (Like maybe a leg is getting ready to fall off from gangrene.)

As we talk at length about the importance of men’s health in this issue, please keep in mind that the major hurdle in improving men’s health is the men themselves. Yes, you — the one who refuses regular checkups, skips your recommended tests and health screenings, and makes doctor appointments only after your wife or mother badgers you to the point of exhaustion. Going to the doctor is not only about your personal well-being, it is also about having peace of mind in knowing that you’re in the best possible shape for your family.

Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of men more than hearing the snap of a fresh latex glove and the phrase, “Time for your prostate exam.”

While I’m sure you can think of a million things you would rather do than drop trou for your doctor, truth of the matter is having a prostate exam is a necessary part of living a long and healthy life. Apart from nonmelanoma skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer deaths among men of all races. But, it also preventable as long as you make it your business to always schedule an annual exam, no ifs, ands, or even butts about it.

Top 5 Excuses Men Use To Avoid A Prostate Exam

1. “I don’t need it because, let’s face it, we’re all gonna die from something.”

2. “Sorry, but exit-only.”

3. “Doc, we don’t know each other that well.”

4. “It makes me feel violated.”