A study by the American Academy of Family Physicians confirms what many health experts—and women—have observed: Men don’t manage their personal health as well as they could. They’re missing chances to find medical problems early on, when conditions are more treatable.

Survey Says
The study surveyed more than 1,100 men on their health habits. More than half of the men had not received a physical exam from their Primary Care Physician within the past year. And 18 percent of men ages 55 and older had never been screened for colorectal cancer. Recommendations for this potentially life-threatening disease are below.

Men’s tendency to seek health care services only in crisis situations— and see themselves as healthy enough to skip checkups and screenings—is no surprise to psychologists. Studies have found that men are less likely than women to seek help for health issues. Men may fear that others will see their nonemergency doctor visits as unmanly or weak.

Cancer Screenings for Men
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other medical organizations encourage men to have regular health screenings to find health problems early. Ask your doctor about tests for the following:

• Colorectal cancer. Start having screenings at age 50, or earlier if you have a personal or family history of colorectal polyps. You should be tested for hidden fecal blood annually. Your doctor may order more screening tests, such as a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.
• Prostate cancer. Age 50 is the usual age to start having a yearly prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal exam (DRE). If you have a family history of prostate cancer, start having screenings at age 45 or sooner.

Are You At Risk?
Answering a few quick questions can help you find out whether you’re at risk for colorectal cancer. Visit www.paramounthealthcare.com and click on “Better Health for Life,” “Interactive Tools,” “Risk Assessments,” and then “Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment.”