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How men can improve their health

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date23 June 2022
Publication titleHuddersfield Daily Examiner
And, according to Dr Luke Pratsides, lead GP at Numan (numan.com): "Men are notoriously bad at looking after their health."

For Dr Pratsides, there are a few reasons behind this. One is knowledge, with the GP saying: "Men tend to be less knowledgeable about specific diseases and risk factors, compared to women. This lack of knowledge prevents men from seeking help unless symptoms cause substantial pain or immobility."

Women tend to be invited to more check-ups throughout their lives, including cervical cancer screenings and antenatal care. "Men, on the other hand, have no genderspecific screenings and may never come into contact with healthcare until asked to provide a stool sample in their 50s for the bowel cancer screening programme," he says.

Next is perception. "In Europe, men are at greater risk for all leading causes of death, and are more likely to adopt unhealthy behaviour. Despite this, men are less likely to perceive themselves as at risk of health problems, and report better subjective health compared to women," Dr Pratsides suggests.

"This can be linked to health literacy, behaviour and gender roles."

Society's attitude towards masculinity could also play a role. "Typical socialisation of men includes independence, fearlessness, toughness and avoiding emotional expression," says Dr Pratsides - and this could discourage men from going to the doctor when something feels wrong. If you're worried about your health, see your doctor or call 111. But if you want to improve your overall health you might want to take these simple steps...

1. Take a blood test "A lot of health issues aren't visible, and can only be flagged with a blood test," suggests Dr Pratsides.

"Blood tests can measure your liver function, thyroid function, cholesterol levels and hormones.

"A blood test can help give you an understanding of your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, and allow you...

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