Men’s Health Month and Men’s Health Week (June 14-20) is a national observance used to raise awareness about health care for men. The focus is on encouraging boys, men and their families to implement and practice healthy living decisions, such as exercising and eating healthy. An important obstacle to improving men’s health is their apparent reluctance to consult a doctor. US research shows that men with health problems are more likely than women to have no recent contact with a doctor regardless of income or ethnicity.

Why Are Men Reluctant to See a Doctor?

The American Heart Association has highlighted the top 10 reasons some men refuse to visit the doctor. Using assessments from Medicom Health can provide counter arguments and information to oppose many of these common objections.

I don’t have a doctor.

Medicom Health helps individuals build trusting relationships with a primary doctor. We provide over 19 different Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) that screen individuals about their health conditions. The HRAs ask if users have a primary-care physician and display the answer in their reports. With this information, it is easier for your organization to connect consumers with physicians.

There is probably nothing wrong.

Patients can be at higher risk for critical health conditions due to underlying and silent factors like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

• Heart Disease: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and early intervention is critical for preventing mortality. Consequently, more than 1 in 3 adult men have some form of cardiovascular disease. Medicom Health has health risk assessments to educate users about personal risk for heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease that can provide information about the silent risks for users in your community.
• Diabetes: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) asserts that 10.5% of the population has diabetes with 1.5 million new Americans being diagnosed every year. The Medicom Health HRA for Diabetes educates consumers about the risk factors for diabetes and calculates consumer’s current and 8-year risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Most importantly, the information collected in the assessments can keep you updated on critical health trends in your community.

I don’t have time.

Medicom Health’s HRAs are fast and user friendly. As a result, the easy-to-understand reports can clearly show users when they need to dedicate time to address an issue.

I don’t want to hear what I might be told.

While the world was busy struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, one health behavior that was often put on the back burner was weight management. Certainly, the last thing that people want to hear is that they need to lose weight.

• Weight Management: Obesity is a common, serious, and costly condition. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2017-2018, the prevalence of obesity was 42.4%. The Healthy Weight Range HRA engages patients concerned about weight-related health issues and provides them with actionable recommendations for maintaining a healthy weight.

I’ve got probe-a-phobia.

Prostate Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Medicom Health’s Prostate Cancer HRA estimates users’ risk of prostate cancer and evaluates family history and lifestyle factors that impact risk. Based on these factors, the assessment provides men with recommendations and information to help joint decision-making with their doctors about prostate cancer screening.

What else can you do?

As a hospital marketer, you can use HRAs to learn about health issues in your community. As you begin recognizing health trends, it will be easier to create workshops, seminars, and information sessions. Likewise, you can show the men in your community that health screening is the first step in taking control of their health.