Men’s Health: Simple as A B C D E – By Dr. Gihan Gunawardena
Source : Dæhæna November 2024
Image Source : hope1032.com.au
Despite significant advances in medical care, men continue to face unique health challenges, often exacerbated by a reluctance to seek regular medical attention. Understanding and actively preventing common men’s health conditions can lead to longer, healthier lives and better outcomes when issues arise.
Common Health Concerns
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death among men worldwide. Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and obesity – all of which are largely preventable through lifestyle modifications. Regular exercise, a balanced diet rich in leafy vegetables and fruits, and stress management which is often overlooked. (“Men
need to be tough” right?) It’s worthwhile mentioning smoking has a very significant modifiable risk factor for ANY person irrespective of their age or gender.
Prostate health becomes increasingly important as men age. While prostate cancer is a serious concern, regular screening through PSA tests AND digital rectal examinations can detect issues relatively early when they’re most treatable. Men over 50 should discuss screening options with their healthcare provider, with those at higher risk potentially starting earlier. Regular intervals of 3-5 years is appropriate for standard-risk males. Population studies do NOT support annual prostate tests.
Mental health deserves equal attention. Men face distinct mental health challenges, primarily due to societal expectations and stigma. Many men feel pressured to appear “strong” and avoid showing vulnerability, leading them to bottle up emotions and resist seeking help. This often results in expressing mental health struggles through anger, substance abuse, or risk-taking behaviour rather than healthier outlets.
Social isolation is another key challenge, particularly as men age, with many lacking strong emotional support networks. Traditional masculine norms can make it difficult to form deep friendships or open up about personal struggles.
The consequences are serious: men are less likely to seek therapy but more likely to die by suicide than women, highlighting the urgent need to normalize mental health discussions and support-seeking amongmen. Peer support models and awareness campaigns are proven to have positive influences among men who would otherwise remain isolated health-wise.
Prevention Strategies
Regular health screenings form the foundation of prevention. Beyond prostate checks, men should maintain regular
A wareness of symptoms
• B lood pressure monitoring / Control
• C holesterol testing / C olorectal cancer (Bowel) screen
• D iabetes screening
• E xercise
The life expectancy of a male in Australia is 81.3 years compared to 73.4 in Sri Lanka. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic dropped the life expectancy figures in Sri Lanka, preventative health remains the key to better health outcomes.
Image Source : linkedin
This “Movember”, let’s talk about our health, share knowledge and health information and promote better health among ourselves including our peers back in Sri Lanka. Let’s create health awareness among our school, university, work, and professional groups.
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Dr. Gihan Gunawardena
Dr. Gunawardena is a Rural Generalist covering Emergency and Obstetrics, a General Practitioner and a Senior Lecturer at University of Queensland – Rural Medical School
