Do you know all you should about men’s health?

MEN HAVE UNIQUE HEALTH NEEDS — AND RISKS

Although the life-expectancy gap between men and women is narrowing, men are still living shorter lives — and still need to pay close attention to their health. Consider:

• Death rates from cardiovascular disease are 42 percent higher for men than women.
• More men die of cancer than women.
• One in six men will develop prostate cancer.
• The three leading causes of male cancer deaths are largely preventable with proper screening and behaviors.
• At least a third of men report at a problem with their sexual function. Sexual problems in men are more common as with increasing age and have been linked to serious health issues.
• About 5 million American men have low testosterone, which can affect sex drive, muscle and bone health, energy, and mood.
• One in four men age 50 and older will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime.
• Men have higher rates of substance abuse and difficulty managing anger than do women.

Men are more likely than women to put off routine preventative checkups, ignore health symptoms when they occur, and are less likely to have a primary care doctor in the first place. In fact, many men spend more time and effort maintaining their cars than their own bodies.

Taking Charge of Your Health

The UC Davis Men’s Health Program is designed to help men take charge of their health by addressing their unique medical needs and concerns, proactively and confidentially. Just as we bring in our vehicles for routine maintenance and inspections, the program offers men a comprehensive diagnostic assessment designed to:

• Raise awareness of preventable health problems and head them off.
• Recognize health conditions early.
• Identify strategies to maintain and improve vitality, health and sexual function.

These assessments are designed to be broader and more detailed than regular office visits or checkups with primary care physicians. Targeted conditions include cardiovascular disease, cancer (including prostate cancer), sexual health and fertility, erectile dysfunction, urinary comfort, stress management and other subjects common or unique to men. When follow-up specialty care is advised, the program features streamlined referrals to board-certified UC Davis specialists.

The program is part of UC Davis Health System, one of the nation’s leading academic health centers and a major source of new discoveries and treatments. Its hospital, UC Davis Medical Center, has consistently been ranked among the nation’s best, and more than 100 UC Davis physicians and specialists routinely appear on lists of “America’s best doctors” as chosen by their peers.