The Goal of Men’s Health Week: Think and Act Preventively!

Men in the U.S. are living shorter lives than American women, with average life expectancy at 74.6 years vs. 79.6 years for women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Statistically, men are less likely to schedule preventive health screenings, tend to take more risks than females and are more reluctant to seek medical attention. As a result, men are more likely to die from such preventable diseases as cancer, heart disease, and HIV. They’re also at a greater risk for accidents and committing suicide.

The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys through regular health check-ups. The goal is really proactive management of their most personal and precious asset: their health. Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue! Because of its impact on the women in their lives, from daughters, mothers, sisters and significant others – men’s health is truly a family issue.