Common Issues in Men's Health That You Need to Know
The male population's health is a significant contributor to the nation's health. In general, men have a poorer health status and lower fulfilment of health services than women. They have a lower life expectancy and are more prone to die from avoidable deaths than women. Why is there a need to learn more about the status of men's health? Most men have a mentality like "real men" do not get sick, but they will keep to themselves if they do. They prefer to ignore the symptoms until their body reacts negatively or the whole-body system begins shutting down. It is interesting that while men generally tend not to talk about their health, regarding it as women, a substantial minority of men with prostate problems had not even told their partners or close families about their problems.
Even though women always seem soft and prone to have an illness, the risk is higher for the male population in certain situations. According to the book "Men's Health and Illness" by Donald Sabo and Frederick Gordon, men are six times more likely to die due to lung cancer than women. This is maybe because of lifestyle and working environment. Men are prone to be exposed to cigarette smoke, or even they are the ones who smoke. They are also likely to die in motorcycle accidents, three times higher than women. Most men prefer to ride a bike in the morning because it is faster and easier, but it is more dangerous than taking public transport or driving. On the other hand, the risk in the men population is three times higher in committing suicide. This proves that men also have their weaknesses, equally to women.
Both sex and gender are relevant to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. While sex refers to the biological differences between men and women, gender refers to the array of socially constructed roles, personality traits, attitudes, behaviours, values, and influences that society ascribes to the sexes on a differential basis. Many diseases may occur in men, but the main issues are lung or bronchopulmonary disease, mental problems and prostate cancer. Differing distributions of histologic types of lung cancer between men and women may be associated with differences in smoking patterns, but this does not fully explain the observed sex differences. In addition to smoking and other exogenous (external) factors, endogenous (internal) factors related to biological sex have been suggested to be determinants of sex differences in the distribution of the disease. Epidemiologic studies are helpful to determine whether sex plays a role in lung carcinogenesis. Molecular epidemiology of cancer involves using biomarkers of exposure and response in studies of exogenous or endogenous factors and genetic factors that play a role in human cancer development. The best way to avoid this condition is to practice a healthy lifestyle and attend medical check-ups at least once a year.
Another main issue that may affect men's health is mental illness. Men with mental diseases are also less likely to have received mental health treatment than women in the past year. According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention research in 2018, men are more likely to die by suicide than women. Recognizing the signs that you or someone you love may have a mental disorder is the first step toward treatment. The earlier that treatment begins, the more effective it can be. Facing mental illness alone is more frequent in men because they do not need help and attention. However, a human is still a human, regardless of gender. Seeking help and reaching someone as the listener is an action that is not common to men, and this mentality may lead to a short-cut way to solve their mental problems. Just die and done. Suicidal thoughts happen to anyone with mental illness, depending on how severe is their unstable mental state. Talk with your loved one. Travelling and attending yoga classes can relieve the unsafe condition of mind, even though they will not solve the whole issue.
It is the first major social study of men with prostate problems, centres on the men themselves and their perspectives, and focuses on how the ill-health affects themselves and their families. Funded by King's Fund, the study is being carried out collaboratively by two sociologists and the Prostate Help Association (PHA), thought to be the only voluntary support group for prostate sufferers and their families in Britain. The research focuses on two chronic conditions, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis. Though reliable statistics are lacking, these conditions are currently thought to affect more than one in three men over 50 in the UK (Bradford 1995). BPH is the swelling of the prostate gland, making urination less easy, leading to nighttime urination and retention and possibly severe complications if untreated. Prostatitis is a blanket term for various conditions assumed to be linked. The situation takes several forms, from a short-lived' flu-like infection with some passing of blood and mild pain to a chronic bacterial condition which is extremely painful in some cases (Hamand, 1991).
Of the respondents, 70 per cent had BPH, 25 per cent had prostatitis, and two per cent had both conditions. Over 60 per cent had had their prostate problems for less than five years, with 18 per cent between six and nine years, though five had had symptoms for 30 years or longer. Almost all reported being in good health before their prostate problems. Ninety-five per cent said the increased frequency of daytime urination with nearly all (98 per cent) and increased night time-frequency. Eighty-five per cent of the men needed to get up four times a night or less, and 15 per cent more often – one man got up 22 times a night on average. Almost seven out of ten men said they had problems starting urination, and 93 per cent experienced urgency. Another symptom, more usually associated clinically with prostatitis, is pain. Practising healthy diets and lifestyles, sleeping well, and keeping hydrated are ways to control this syndrome.
In conclusion, men are not always strong all time. They also have their own needs and problem and are constantly being misunderstood by the sceptical mindset of people. Men need support, love and care, and they still need to be taken care of equally, no matter how young or how strong they should be.
REFERENCES:
- Payne S. ‘Smoke like a man, die like a man’?: A review of the relationship between gender, sex and lung cancer. Soc Sci Med. 2001;53:1067–1080. 3.
- Boyle P, Ferlay J. Cancer incidence and mortality in Europe, 2004. Ann Oncol. 2005;16:481–488.
- Hedegaard H, Curtin SC, Warner M. Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2017. NCHS Data Brief, no 330. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018.
- Curtin SC, Warner M, Hedegaard H. Increase in suicide in the United States, 1999–2014pdf icon. NCHS Data Brief, no 241. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2016
- Book: Men’s Health and Illness (Donal Sabo & David F. Gordon)
