image description
Dr. Leigh LoPresti is a family medicine physician at CHP North Adams Family Medical and Dental Center.

Gentlemen, Check Your Engines: Why Men Don't Seek Preventive Care and Why They Should

By Dr. Leigh LoPrestiPrint Story | Email Story

Gentlemen: When did you last have a medical check-up?

If you are like a lot of men, you may be skipping this health care ritual of getting "checked out." And if you are a man under 40, you might be missing the opportunity to improve and maintain your health and prevent disease later in life.

As a family practice physician for 33 years, I enjoy treating all the members of a family, of all ages. But I routinely don't see the husbands, dads or male partners unless a health problem arises. Younger men, in my experience, are infrequent visitors to the medical office, and, in general, men are less connected to their health and wellness than women. I sometimes hear my male patients something like this: "My wife's been bugging me to get checked out."

But that's not why you seek out preventive healthcare care. You should go because prevention, health screening and early detection of red flags can have lifelong impact on you, your family, your finances, your work life and play time. Preventive health care is like putting a roof on your house.

A 2016 survey by the Cleveland Clinic found that more than half of men don't talk about their health – but they are happy to boast about a sports injury or a close-call accident. About 42 percent of men go to the doctor or other primary care provider only when they have an obvious medical problem.

So perhaps it's not surprising that men have higher rates of death or disability from heart disease and other preventable conditions, compared to their female peers.

Let's focus on heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States: in 2015, 24.4 percent of male deaths were attributed to heart disease. While genetics can play a role in heart disease, lifestyle, diet and exercise are big factors in heart health. Preventable conditions like, hypertension (high blood pressure, which is more common in men), diabetes and high cholesterol all contribute to heart disease.


If you avoid or skip those periodic preventive visits as a younger man, you may be unaware of your heart disease risk factors – both genetic and lifestyle – that could be lurking in wait, preparing to attack when age makes you more vulnerable. While it’s rarely too late to improve an unhealthy lifestyle, it's also never too early.

In my experience, men don't much like to ask for help. They are "too busy" to make an appointment. They fear what they may learn at a medical office. They rarely bring their kids in for checkups – it's usually the moms. They may have concerns about health insurance. They may simply not have a relationship with a healthcare practice or provider. For some men, teen bravado can last well into adulthood in men.

But a man who doesn't keep track of his health is taking a risk. And the data show that risky behavior is common among men. For men from age 1-44, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death, with homicide and suicide not far behind.

Let's not add "skipping the medical checkup" to the risk list.

Gentlemen, don't place the burden of your health on your spouse, partner or kids. Step up and get checked out. Build a trust relationship with a doctor or nurse practitioner you can speak with in confidence.

You will be glad you did. From here, in an office like mine or those of many other primary care providers, you can take charge of your health -- or celebrate your good fortune that you are a healthy man with a long life ahead.  

Dr. Leigh LoPresti is a family medicine physician at CHP North Adams Family Medical and Dental Center.


Tags: CHP,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Clarksburg Gets 3 Years of Free Cash Certified

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials have heaved a sigh of relief with the state's certification of free cash for the first time in more than three years.
 
The town's parade of employees through its financial offices the past few years put it behind on closing out its fiscal years between 2021 and 2023. A new treasurer and two part-time accountants have been working the past year in closing the books and filing with the state.
 
The result is the town will have $571,000 in free cash on hand as it begins budget deliberations. However, town meeting last year voted that any free cash be used to replenish the stabilization account
 
Some $231,000 in stabilization was used last year to reduce the tax rate — draining the account. The town's had minimal reserves for the past nine months.
 
Chairman Robert Norcross said he didn't want residents to think the town was suddenly flush with cash. 
 
"We have to keep in mind that we have no money in the stabilization fund and we now have a free cash, so we have now got to replenish that account," he said. "So it's not like we have this money to spend ... most of it will go into the stabilization fund." 
 
The account's been hit several times over the past few fiscal years in place of free cash, which has normally been used for capital spending, to offset the budget and to refill stabilization. Free cash was last used in fiscal 2020.
 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories