CALIFORNIA, USA — Today's Why Guy question is: Why do men avoid the doctor?
Quite often, men have an image of themselves that's not quite accurate.
We want to be invincible, but we're not.
40% of the guys questioned by the Cleveland Clinic admit they're struggling to stay healthy, yet more than half admit to avoiding the doctor, even the yearly physical.
"Unfortunately, this may have major implications with health," said Dr. Petar Bajic with the Cleveland Clinic.
So, let's look at why so men are reluctant to go to the doctor. It started long before COVID.
A 2019 Cleveland Clinic survey shows 72% of the men questioned preferred household chores, like cleaning the toilet, as opposed to a visit with their doctor.
Too many men, it seems, are trying to play Superman.
"Men may consider it macho to ignore symptoms or problems they may be experiencing," said Bajic.
Men are often reluctant to confront issues that are sometimes sensitive or embarrassing.
"Urinary issues can sometimes be a sign of diabetes, so there are a lot of ways serious conditions can present themselves," said Bajic.
The "MENtion it" campaign is the Cleveland Clinic's way of addressing the issue. The yearly survey found men historically place the health of their own family, even the economy, higher on their priority list than their own health.
"We're trying to empower the partners of men to encourage them to get routine health screenings," said Bajic.
On a positive note, 66% of the men answering the Cleveland Clinic's most recent survey say they have contacted their doctor virtually in the past year or so as they prefer to discuss their issues from the comfort of their own homes.
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