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For Your Health

Healthcare For Men

Men: Getting Health What to Expect

The health screenings your PCP performs during your annual
Screenings Is More checkup are based on your health, family history and age. If
Important Than Ever you’re younger than 40, your screenings may include:
Height
eople joke that men don’t like to ask for directions or Weight
read the instructions before putting household items Body mass index
P together. Well, it turns out there is something else they Blood pressure
are reluctant to do — and it’s no laughing matter. Diet and exercise guidance
“Male patients are more hesitant to come in for doctor’s visits, Cholesterol
even once a year,” said Melissa Armas, D.O., a family Immunization status
medicine specialist with the Broward Health Physician Group. Kidney and liver function
“Many of the men who do come in are here because their Diabetes
wife or mother pushed them to get seen, or they noticed Early signs of skin cancer
troubling symptoms.” Vision problems and eye conditions
Infectious diseases
To make matters worse, men may be even less likely to get
Depression
checkups now because of worries about COVID-19.
Alcohol and tobacco use
Staying Healthy Starts with Yearly Checkups If you’re over 40 or at high risk, your PCP may also want to
screen for:
Your primary care physician (PCP) will perform a variety of Prostate cancer
health screenings when you get your yearly checkup. Your Colorectal cancer
PCP will look for medical issues and consider your risk of Lung cancer
developing health issues in the future. They may also talk with Osteoporosis
you about how your lifestyle may affect your health.
Dementia
Delaying or skipping these annual exams, Dr. Armas said, can Vascular or cardiac disease
be deadly. Abdominal aortic aneurysm
“The point of health screenings is to detect cancer and other Your PCP may also recommend you fill out an advance
diseases early when they are easier to treat,” she said. “Many directive form so that your loved ones can make healthcare
diseases can be asymptomatic for years. When men wait until decisions according to your wishes if you’re unable.
they notice symptoms, the diseases are often harder to treat,
and men may have worse outcomes.” (continued pg 32)

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