Don’t Forget Daddy: June is Men’s Health Month
In May, I talked about National Women’s Health Week and the common obstacles women face, mothers especially, in balancing the needs of their family while not neglecting their own self-care. It’s only fair this month to acknowledge the men in our lives and the challenges they have when it comes to maintaining physical, mental and emotional health. June is Men’s Health Month and interestingly, men also struggle to make health a priority, but for different reasons. Women tend to be forced into at least minimally caring for their health through their life due to gynecological and later obstetric needs, whereas men often don’t see a doctor after they ‘graduate’ from the Pediatrician unless they’re sick… or in my husband’s case… really, really, REALLY sick.
Compounding this phenomenon is our culture’s ever-present gender roles and stereotypes. According to a study published in The Journal of Health Psychology:
“…men who held traditional beliefs about masculinity – that men should be tough, brave, self-reliant and restrained in their expression of emotion – were more likely to ignore medical problems, or at least put off dealing with them, than women or than men with less traditional beliefs.”
My husband and I began dating when he was 33, and for the sake of this article, I asked him how many times he thought he’d seen a doctor in the 10+ years between leaving college and meeting me. He was proud to say he didn’t need to guess, he knew the answer was 1. ONCE! The most shocking part was that he was completely oblivious that this was a terrible answer, and was more excited to tell me the story of how he’d gotten kicked in the kidney when a brawl broke out at a pub. I cut him off there and reminded him how lucky he was to have me, not just to keep him out of trouble, but to ensure he’s seeing our General Practitioner at least bi-annually for routine health checks.
Father’s Day is around the corner, so this year after I set the kids up to create their one-of-a-kind creations to celebrate Daddy, I will be sure to get his next checkup on the schedule and get it to gently remind him to actually go. If you’re unsure of what exactly should be on your radar when at your exam, check out this schedule of checkups and age-appropriate screenings for men and women. Remember, feeling healthy doesn’t necessarily indicate good health, and many major health issues are preventable – IF you’re getting routine preventative care.
Let’s do our best to encourage the men in our lives to take care of themselves and set a healthy example for our boys. What ways do you ensure the males in your life are properly caring for themselves? Share it below!