FOR WOMEN ONLY: WHY

FOR WOMEN ONLY: WHY

FOR WOMEN ONLY: WHY

MEN’S HEALTH IS ALSO
A WOMEN’S ISSUE
What does men’s health have to do with you?
Plenty! Men’s health issues don’t affect only
men; they have a significant impact on everyone
around them. And because women live
longer than men, they see their fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands suffer or
die prematurely.
M o re than one-half the elderly widows now living in poverty
w e re not poor before the death of their husbands.
Meeting the Needs of Older Women: A Diverse and Growing Population,
The Many Faces of Aging, U.S. Administration on Aging
At this point, you’re probably thinking, "I already do more than my share of the
l a u n d ry, the cooking, and the childcare. Can’t he do anything for himself?" Of
course he can. But there’s a good chance that without some gentle pushing from
you, he won’t. So it may be up to you.
More than half of premature deaths among men are preventable. By educating
yourself about potential male health problems and passing that information on
to the men you love, you may be able to save a life. And by encouraging all the
men in your life to realize that even the smallest symptoms can sometimes be
serious and may need to be discussed with their doctors, you’ll be helping them
take a more active role in their own health care.
Over the next few pages, we’ll summarize the potential warning signs and give
you some tips on how to increase the quality and lifespan of the men in your
life. But this is only a summary. We strongly encourage you to read the rest of
this book carefully. Each section includes detailed information on risk factors,
symptoms and prevention.

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

In 1920, women outlived men by an average of one year. To d a y, that difference
is more than five years. Why? It’s because men:
• Die younger—and in greater numbers—of heart disease, stroke,
c a n c e r, diabetes, and many other diseases.
• Don’t take care of themselves as well as women do.
• Are more likely to engage in unhealthy behavior.
• Don’t seek medical attention when they need it.
• Are less likely than women to adopt preventive health measures.
• Are less likely to have health insurance.
• Are more likely to work in dangerous occupations.

RECOGNIZING SYMPTOMS

When a warning light flashes on the car dashboard, most men usually take the
car to the shop. But when warning lights flash on their body, most men don’t
(or won’t) notice. Here are a few flashing lights you should look out for:
• Changes in bowel or bladder habits. This can be an indication of prostate
or bladder problems. And blood in the urine is a common indicator of
kidney problems. Does he get up five times a night to go to the bathroom?
That could be a symptom of an enlarged prostate, a common condition
among men as they get older.
• Impotence or erectile dysfunction. Most of the time, erectile problems are
caused by an underlying health problem, such as diabetes, clogged arteries,
or high blood pressure. So if you want to make love and your husband says
he has a headache, pay attention: it might be something far more serious.
• Persistent backaches, changes in the color of urine or stool, obvious changes
in warts or moles, unusual lumps, recurrent chest pains or headaches,
bleeding that won’t stop, nagging cough, unexplained weight loss, and
extreme fatigue can all be symptoms of other serious health
p r o b l e m s .
• Depression. Although women may be more likely to attempt suicide, men
are four times more likely to succeed. Because men are reluctant to ask for
help and may try to hide their depression, you may recognize the symptoms
sooner than he does. These may include acting overly anxious, having trouble
sleeping, complaining of feeling sad or “empty” or helpless, engaging in
unusually risky or reckless behavior, or losing interest in hobbies or other
pleasurable activities (including sex).

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Know whento callin theprofessionals.
If you identify a symptom, get your man
to the doctor immediately—and don’t
take no for an answer. But even if he’s
the picture of health, one of the most
important steps you can take is to get
your husband (and sons) into the habit
of getting regular checkups. As with
most things, the results of specific
exams are important, but often are not
nearly as important as changes over
time. In the days and weeks before the
visit, help him prepare. Spend some
time going over his family history (many diseases have family ties), keep track of
any symptoms you’re concerned about, and write down a list of questions he
should ask.
Check him out. Somewhere along the line we got the idea that "self-exams" have
to be done, well, by ourselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. There’s
no reason why he can’t help you with your breast exams or you with his testicul
a r exams. Checking each other out can serve several purposes. First, it will double
the chances that his (and your) exams get done regularly and thoroughly. And


d o n ’t forget about his back. Women get most of their skin cancers in places where
they can more easily be spotted on their hands and face and below the dress line.
Men get most of theirs on their backs, where they’re a lot harder to see.
“The role of women in keeping the men in their life healthy
is invaluable. While it may pain you to nag your husband
about one more thing, do it anyway. If you recognize any
unusual symptoms in your loved one do whatever it takes
to get him the help he needs, it may save his life.”
Theresa Morrow, Women Against Prostate Cancer
Prevention, prevention, prevention. Besides encouraging the men in your life
to exercise, eat a high-fiber/low-fat diet, quit smoking, and do monthly selfexams,
the most important step you can take is to get them into the habit of
getting regular medical checkups. In Appendix B, we’ve included a chart of
maintenance milestones that American men should follow throughout their
lives to ensure good health.
We realize that many of the issues that we’ve covered in this book are sometimes
difficult to discuss—especially for your man. But he needs to understand that he
must take even the smallest symptom seriously since it could indicate a more
serious—or even life-threatening—condition.
U l t i m a t e l y, the goal of all this is to get your husband to take better care of himself
and to get the next generation of men to start building good habits. These
things sometimes take time. But even the smallest changes can bring big rewards.