MANY men admit they put off going to the doctor as long as possible, sometimes even when they’re experiencing life-threatening symptoms.
A new survey highlights the negative attitude many men have about seeking medical care.
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Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they avoid going to the doctor as long as possible, and 37 per cent said they withhold information from their doctors.
Experts say this is an ongoing issue that keeps doctors from detecting life-threatening issues early, resulting in bigger health dangers – and sometimes death.
For the fourth year in a row, Cleveland Clinic is embarking upon their MENtion It campaign, a push to get men to their doctors to discuss their health.
As part of this year’s campaign, the survey asked men how they approach their medical treatment.
The results found:
72 per cent of respondents said they would rather be doing household chores, like cleaning toilets, than going to the doctor.65 per cent said they avoid going to the doctor as long as possible.
20 per cent admitted they aren’t always honest with their doctors about their health.
37 per cent said they had withheld information from their doctors in the past, specifically because they weren’t ready to deal with the potential diagnosis that might result if they told the truth.
All this medical avoidance and withholding of the truth puts men at risk.
But what’s behind it and how can society work to better address it?
Mike Gnitecki is a firefighter and paramedic who recently told Healthline he’s had male patients initially refuse transport to the hospital even while in the middle of an active heart attack.
‘I have had to ask family members to help convince the patient to go with us to the hospital,’ he said.
‘I have also sometimes telephoned the emergency room physicians to help convince the patient to go to the hospital with us.
‘Having witnessed this extreme avoidance of medical care first hand, he said a lot of men simply have the attitude of, ‘I don’t need to see a doctor’.
One reason for this attitude, Gnitecki explained, may be the fact that many men convince themselves their condition will improve on its own, not wanting to ‘bother’ a doctor in the meantime.
Dr. Tisha Rowe, founder of the telemedicine network RoweDocs, says there are often a few other things contributing as well: fear, superhero syndrome, and the fact that ‘vulnerability sucks’.
‘As a primary care doctor, I think the number one reason men avoid the doctor is fear,’ Rowe explained.
‘They worry about a bad diagnosis or a bad outcome.’
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Then there is the superhero syndrome, which Rowe explained is men wanting to see themselves as forever strong and capable of handling anything.
‘They see going to the doctor as a weakness.’
And finally… vulnerability. Men don’t like being vulnerable.
Rowe said that fear of vulnerability can extend to several issues, especially sensitive issues such as erectile dysfunction.
These are often topics men would just rather avoid talking about altogether, even if talking to a doctor about it could potentially help.
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