Men's health: Taking a more sensible approach

1

2

3

The NHS recently reported that 40% of men die before the age of 75 because they don't take care of their health. I found this quite shocking, especially in light of how far medicine and preventative healthcare has come in recent years.

Further research showed that:

• 75% of men ignore symptoms of ill health;
• 63% of men with high blood pressure are
  not taking necessary medication;
• 50% of men will not seek help for embarrassing illnesses; and
• 30% of men in a survey said they would not
  visit the doctor if they noticed a mole on their
  skin had changed.

Failing to take their health concerns seriously enough also means that men are up to 70% more likely than women to die from cancer.

So why are so many men so negligent about their health? 

Is it a genuine fear of doctors and hospitals? Is it being too busy doing other things? Or is it not wanting to cause a fuss or upset their families?

If one thing is for sure, then it's that ignoring the problem rarely makes it go away. Most illnesses get progressively worse, causing more damage to the body and becoming more difficult to treat as time passes by.

Take Type 2 Diabetes, for example. If left untreated the condition can cause blindness, kidney disease and severe nerve damage.

Hiding health worries away can also cause anxiety, which often manifests itself in physical symptoms.

So what can be done to improve the situation?

Information
Do you know the symptoms of diabetes? Could you spot the signs of skin cancer? Are you aware of what sleep apnoea is and how it might affect your work? Would you know if you were experiencing the symptoms of stress? Are you in a high-risk group for diabetes or heart disease?

Giving people the right information helps them to make more informed, positive and sensible choices about their health. If they can recognise their symptoms as being something rather than nothing, they may be more inclined to take action.

Warning
Are you aware of what might happen if that odd sensation doesn't just disappear? Or if that lump goes unchecked?

An early warning may be just the wake-up call some people need.

Advice
The advice should be clear and simple. If a persistent problem or new symptom is causing anxiety, the person should go and see their GP. If it turns out to be something, catching it early offers the best chance of successful treatment. If it turns out to be nothing, it will relieve their anxiety.

Employees who take a more responsible approach to their health often seek medical advice more readily, catch problems earlier and suffer less anxiety as a result.

This is why Kodiak's motivational poster programme covers healthy living issues on a regular basis.

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can keep your employees more informed on a wide range of health matters, please get in touch with us.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.