The skinny: Why men won’t get healthcare
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Why don’t more men see a doctor for regular check-ups? They fear disrobing. That’s got to be it! Why else would someone ignore simple tests or a little advice that could ultimately save their lives or at least make them feel a whole lot better?
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, along with the Advertising Council, are poking a little fun at the male species while trying to draw attention to the fact that men are 25% less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year. And they pay a price for such waffling, with higher death rates from heart disease, cancer and lower-respiratory diseases. A new public service campaign, titled ‘Real Men Wear Gowns,’ urges men 40 and older to get regular, preventive healthcare such as cholesterol checks, blood pressure readings and BMI measurements.
’...despite their increased health risks men aren’t taking preventive steps and are often only visiting doctors when they experience symptoms,’ says Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the AD Council.
The campaign includes television, radio, print and Web public service announcements showing men wandering about their daily lives wearing nothing but hospital gowns. You know, those thin gowns with little ties in the back that flap open and, well ... Maybe if someone designed better exam-room clothing, more men would get checkups. How about a guaranteed-no-clothes-off exam?
-- Shari Roan