Get Your Man to the Doc

ST. LOUIS (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- On average, men die five years before women, and a man has a one-in-two lifetime chance of developing cancer, compared with a woman's one-in-three chance. But when it comes to getting regular check-ups, most men just don't go. Here's some expert advice on getting your man the care he needs.

Greg Wittner eats right, works out and visits his doctor. And he remembers his last doctor's visit. "My last check-up at the doctor was about six months ago for a full physical," he says.

Wittner's the exception. Most men can't recall their last check-up.

St. Louis University Family Practitioner Mark Mengel, M.D., says most men avoid the doctor like the plague. "I think men view health like a car," he says. "If the car is functioning OK, if their body is functioning OK, they don't need to come in."

That's how Bernie Schaefer used to be. Then in 1997, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

"Boy, you think you're in good health; you're young, and then all of a sudden, you're told that you have cancer -- and yeah, it was a real shock," Schaefer says.

Experts say women have the most power in getting their loved ones to go to the doctor. And getting them there could mean catching problems early on.

Doctor Mengel's tips include: Look for a physician who takes a preventive approach. A doctor who gives specific instructions and takes a preventive approach would say something like: your LDL level is 162, and you need to get it under 130.

Men are goal-oriented and respond better to specific instructions. Go to the doctor with him or suggest a joint appointment where you both have an exam. And make sure he's upfront with his doc. Men tend to view problems as "flaws."

Schaefer now sees his doc on a regular basis, hoping to stop potential problems in their tracks.

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If you would like more information, please contact:

Nancy Solomon
Senior Media Relations Specialist
St. Louis University Medical Center
3525 Caroline Hall
St. Louis, MO 63104
solomonn@slu.edu
http://www.slucare.edu