The current COVID-19 pandemic has added additional stress on men’s health. We need to slow the transmission of this pandemic by following the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). International Men’s Health Week started on June 15th and ends on June 21st. It is celebrated each year during the week leading up to and including Father’s Day. Men’s Health Week was started in the United States by Congress in 1994.
Former Congressman Bill Richardson said: “Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.” (Congressional Record, H3905-H3906, May 24, 1994)
Unfortunately, men are less likely to visit or consult with a medical provider when faced with a medical issue or concern, increasing the chances of complications with any illness, including the coronavirus. Check out the Presidential Message on Men’s Health Week for 2020 by clicking HERE.
The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Father’s Day was chosen as the anchor to make use of the extra attention paid to male family members near that holiday.
Check out these statistics: * Men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women * Men lead 9 out of 10 for the top causes of death * Men have a higher suicide death rate than women * Men account for 92% of fatal workplace injuries * Men do not see physicians for a physical exam nearly as often as women * 30% of men experience depression, yet only 1 in 4 actually talk about it
Source: https://www.menshealthmonth.org/week.html https://health.gov