Don't 'Balls Up' Chance To Address Mens' Health, Says Medical Board

Welsh rugby Captain Ryan Jones' backing of a major mens' health campaign has been highly commended - with the testicular cancer issue involved given the full support of BMA Cymru/Wales.

They said that it highlights is the desperate need for decision makers to focus and develop specific policies that target mens' health.

The BMA said that all the evidence shows that men are much more reluctant to admit to health problems than women.

Men visit their family doctor less often than women and go to the pharmacist less.

Men are less healthier than women. Their life expectancy is less than womens' and at every age up until 79 more men die than women.

A recent survey found that a third of men would risk their health by not going to the doctor's quickly enough.

By contrast, women are more sophisticated in how they use health services having more established women only health care services such as family planning, ante-natal care, cervical and breast screening.

Men continue to suffer from a range of serious but preventable disabling and potentially life threatening long term health conditions because of their reluctance to seek professional help as well as their unhealthy lifestyles.

According to a survey by The Mens' Health Forum one in 10 men admit to avoiding seeking help from a health professional because they are scared it might end in a hospital visit.

Moreover, an additional 10% would rather stick their head in the sand to avoid the embarrassment of discussing their health issues with a doctor.

At this year's annual BMA meeting in Edinburgh doctors from across the UK and from all branches of medical practice expressed their concern over the late diagnosis of serious medical conditions as a result of mens' delayed presentation to health professionals and demanded greater research and action to address this issue.

(DS)