YOUR HEALTH MATTERS
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JUNE 20 - 26, 2013
Men and their fear of doctors To all of the men who have provided so either because their loved-one or sperm for procreation and to the men coworker has harassed him into making who more importantly truly lived up to an appointment or they have a specific the definition of the word, dad, I wish to concern. express a hearty Happy Belated Father’s There have been many theories Day. For those men who spent time proposed as to why men do not see the teaching their children how to ride a bike doctor on a regular basis, one of which is or drive a car, who provided the midnight stoicism. Men may equate seeing their feedings so their spouses could provider with that of showing sleep, who requested that their vulnerability. My counter offer daughters change clothes when to this belief is that preventing they were too revealing, and for disease is always easier than those awesome men who taught trying to treat it. We should their sons how to be a man, we remind our male loved ones that salute each of you! It is with independence becomes difficult that appreciation that I want to once a person has multiple focus our attention this week on illnesses, hospitalizations, etc. the health and well-being of one Another reason for the of God’s greatest creations. lack of participation in the If you scan any medical healthcare system by males room regardless of its locale and the reason probably most Denise Hooks- cited by my patients is the or racial demographics, the Anderson M.D. fear of getting a prostate exam. majority of the people sitting there would be women. The Apparently, men are not too only exception to this rule would keen about a 2 ½ to 3 inch be at a veteran’s facility. You finger being inserted into their would think that since women live longer rectum. I even try to use analogies to than men by almost five years, that men ease my male patient’s trepidation about would frequent the doctor more so they that aspect of their exams. I show them could improve their odds. However, the size of the speculum used in pelvic as we all know that is not the case. In exams in women and compare that to the my practice, most of my male clients size of my finger. I then ask, “Which that present for the first time have done would you prefer?”
Your Health Matters
A bi-monthly special supplement of the St. Louis American
JUNE 20 - 26, 2013 Your Health Matters provides up-to-date information, from an African-American perspective, about one of the most important subjects in evryone’s life – their personal health.
Donald M. Suggs, President and Publisher Kevin Jones, Senior Vice President, COO Dina M. Suggs, Senior Vice President Chris King, Editorial Director Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Medical Accuracy Editor Sandra Jordan, Health Reporter Debbie Chase, Director of Health Strategy & Outreach Onye Ijei, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager Angelita Jackson, Cover Design Wiley Price, Photojournalist
I also believe that men must think that when they go to the doctor that as soon as they walk in the room, the doctor will say hello and immediately ask them to bend over and drop their pants! My dear beloved brothers, there is more to a wellness exam than that. There are many other important health topics that need to be addressed, such as heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is still the number one cause of death for both men and women. Risk factors for heart disease are hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, family history, and simply being male! The goal of yearly checkups with a provider is to try and prevent some of those diseases and to try and modify those factors that are modifiable. For example, regular visits can provide needed cognitive or medicinal support for nicotine cessation. Roughly, 22 percent of men over the age of 18 smoke cigarettes. In addition, a national interview survey in 2011 showed that about 12 percent of men over the age of 18 are in fair or poor health. And in males under the age of 65, a little over 18 percent of them did not even have health insurance. In the greater than 20 year olds, approximately 31 percent of them had high blood pressure, which is blood pressure 140/90 or higher. We consider high blood pressure the silent killer. Most people have no
symptoms when their pressure is high. Therefore men, the argument that “I feel fine” is not enough to justify not seeing your doctor regularly. Children, women, men, and the elderly all need yearly wellness exams. For men, this exam entails: vital signs (blood pressure, weight, body mass index), full physical which may or may not include a prostate exam, and some labs depending on the patient. Most patients need a lipid panel, electrolytes with kidney function, and a diabetes screen. These visits are also utilized to update immunizations such as Tdap and influenza and to ensure that preventative tests such as colonoscopies are scheduled at the appropriate age of 50 and every 10 years thereafter. Men, our society needs you to continue to be the strong, fearless leaders you have always been but you can only achieve that by being proactive about your health. If you love us, we implore you to take care of yourself. Make an appointment to see your doctor today! Yours in Service, Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D. Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com