HERRIN, IL (WSIL) - June is Men’s Health Awareness month and one local doctor is encouraging men to get those check-ups.
“Men tend to be less likely to come in for their annual visits,� said Dr. Mark Korte, Clinical Director of Logan Primary Care.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention back that statement up.
“We usually encourage guys around age 40 to start coming in for an annual checkup,� said Korte.
The CDC released numbers that suggest women are 33 percent more likely to visit a doctor than men and 100 percent better at maintaining screening and preventable care.
“I see it commonly where men encourage their wives to come in and get checked out,� added Korte, “but when the tables turn and they need to come in, they drag their feet and put it off.�
According to a survey by Cleveland Clinic, 65 percent of the men they surveyed say they put off going to a doctor for as long as possible.
“There’s a fear of hearing things that you don’t want to hear,� Korte said.
June was established as Men’s Health Month 30 years ago to raise awareness for preventable health issues.
“It's not just our country nor our state,� said Korte. “It is considered worldwide.�
Korte says it’s typical to check cholesterol, and screen for diabetes and prostate cancer screening.
“Check your weight, encourage exercise, a healthy diet, and blood tests,� said Korte. “As we screen gentlemen coming in annually, we try to screen for anything and everything that we can.�
The month focuses on encouraging men to focus on their health. Those include eating right � exercising � regular check-ups and � a focus on mental health as well.
“We're less likely to get that annual checkup, and then we're more likely to have an advanced disease when it's detected.�
Dr. Korte says men can be stubborn sometimes so friends and loved ones must encourage the men in their lives to get their regular checkups.
“We need those other people in our lives to encourage us,� said Korte. “Men are husbands, brothers, fathers, children, et cetera. We need all of these other people to give us that little bit of encouragement.�
