The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed the hospital behavior of men and women and found that only 61.5 percent of m...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed the hospital behavior of men and women and found that only 61.5 percent of men reported seeing a doctor in the last six months compared to 74 percent of women. Men were also twice as likely to have never seen a doctor and 24 percent less likely to visit the doctor for regular checkups. In fact, 60 percent of men won’t go to the doctor even if they’re sick. Therefore, there is no coincidence as to why women live longer than men. So, why are men neglecting the hospital when they clearly have a reason to go? Science says it’s because of men’s lifestyle and culture.
Men Don’t Want to Seem Weak or Unmanly
Cleveland Clinic surveyed 2,200 Americans living in the United States to determine why men don’t visit the doctor and what they found was that men are simply tight-lipped about their health. Men reported that they do not go to the doctor because they do not want to seem weak. Society tells men that they have to be the strong caregiver, the kingdom of their domain, and the problem solver of all their issues. Therefore, they don’t want to be a bother to people, don’t want to seem unmanly, and don’t want to cause worry for their loved ones. Men are especially hesitant to talk about sexual health issues such as low testosterone or erectile dysfunction disorder. This is because these issues are particularly related to manliness and they simply don’t want to talk about anything that would diminish their masculinity. Men also say that a top reason why they don’t visit the doctor is that they’re simply uncomfortable with these types of checkups because it reduces their manhood.
Men Hit the Gym Instead of Visiting the Doctor
One reason that scientists suggest men are less likely to visit the doctor than women is because of societal issues related to beauty and health. Women are more proactive about their health because it is directly related to the societal values associated with the obtainment of beauty. However, for men, beauty and self-care is associated with the gym. Therefore, men will say they’re too busy to go to the hospital but will spend more hours at the gym, doing more intense workouts than women. This is because men perceive the gym as the answer to their health and beauty concerns, rather than the doctor.
Men are More Likely to Use the Internet
One of the major reasons why men say they don’t go to the doctor is because they’re simply too busy. Therefore, they tend to turn to the Internet to find answers to their medical problems. 75 percent of men use the internet to seek health information compared to the 40 percent of men that will go to a hospital to seek answers. This is a great start to identify potential medical concerns but ultimately does not beat the advice of a medical professional. When you look on the internet, you are unable to get personal information such as body temperature, blood pressure, and other vitals. Therefore, men are putting themselves at risk for many illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
When it comes to visiting the doctor, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. However, it is important that men work against these stereotypes and protect their health for the future.
