Bringing awareness to men’s health

The month globally known for awareness creation of Men’s health, particularly Prostate Cancer, is November. November 19 is also International Men’s Day.

Men’s health has not gained much attention as compared to women’s health. The just ended Breast Cancer Awareness month in October tells it all with people from various backgrounds calling for collaboration to reduce breast cancer statistics in Ghana and the world at large.

The collective efforts and energy toward Pink October should not end in October.

Let us carry it on into the month of November.

November

There is always some fear of the unknown (xenophobia), which prevents men from visiting the hospital.

But here is a reminder that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

As we observe November as Men’s Health Awareness Month, here are ways to encourage the male figure in your life to take advantage of this month and be healthy by investing in their health and well-being.

Use logic instead of nagging, and educate him on the statement “prevention is better than cure”.

Reason with him that there are only two things involved in his hospital visit.

It is either the doctor detects a problem or declares him medically fit.

There are diseases that only show signs and symptoms at their terminal stage and at that point, the only option left is death while looking up to God for a miracle.

Early detection can only happen when he makes himself available for screening, which will in turn save him a lot of trouble.

Also, use his friends or people around him as examples.

In your quest to convince him, tell him how important he is to you, adding that you would not want to see him go through pain that someone else you both know had to go through.

If you do not know anyone, you must have heard of a story that perfectly aligns with the agenda.

Volunteer to book an appointment for him.

Make sure you are on the same page with him, work with his schedule, and as you do that discuss the list of things that is worth mentioning to do the doctor.

Get in touch with the doctor ahead of time and keep him in the loop.

The prior notice and his experience as a doctor will help make the experience of a hospital visit much better.

Environment

The hospital environment comes off as depressing to some people, if that male figure in your life has that problem, then you can consider a home service.

Home service works best if you are only looking at blood work.

If that does not work, then get in touch with a General Practitioner (GP), who doubles as a Men’s health Specialist.

Make sure the hospital visit scheduled for you changes into a Specialist consult for your escort.

Do not forget to convince him to join you as visit your GP, let him be with you during consultation.

Consider

As you consider these tips, always journal any complaints that he consciously or unconsciously may make.

He might forget it to mention some of these complaints during the hospital appointments.

Together we can help fight preventable diseases among men.

Curative health is more expensive than preventive health.

Take advantage of this month to start living a proactively healthy life.

A healthy world, they say, starts with a healthy mother, but I say a healthy man and healthy woman starts intergenerational health.

The writer is a preventive health advocate/healthcare marketer.

E-mail: ashorkor40@gmail.com