MENtion
It®
campaign examines barriers that stop men from seeking care

A
new survey by Cleveland Clinic reveals why a lot of men avoid going
to the doctor and why some men hold back on certain issues once
they’re at the doctor’s office.

In
an online survey among approximately 1,174 U.S. males 18 years or
older, Cleveland Clinic found that 72 percent of men would rather do
household chores, like cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn, than
go to the doctor. Even for the men who take their health more
seriously, some are holding back: 20 percent of men admit they have
not been completely honest with their doctor before.

The
survey was issued as part of Cleveland Clinic’s fourth annual
educational campaign, “MENtion It®,”
which aims to address the fact that men often do not “MENtion”
health issues or take steps to prevent them. This year, Cleveland
Clinic set out to gauge where taking care of their health fell as a
priority for men. Only half (50 percent) of men surveyed said that
they consider getting their annual check-up a regular part of taking
care of themselves.

“Unfortunately,
many men do not make their health a priority until they have a health
scare or a major issue,” said William Gans, MD, Urologist at
Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston. “We hope that this campaign
raises awareness about the issues that keep men from being proactive
in seeking the preventive care that can improve their quality of life
long term.”

In
recognition of International Men’s Day, on November 19, medical
professionals at Cleveland Clinic are also reminding the Cayman
population of the importance of regular screening and annual health
check-ups.
Many times,
signs of conditions that concern the male population, such as
prostate cancer, are first detected by a doctor during a routine
check-up. This is of particular importance in the Cayman Islands as
prostate cancer is the most reported cancer affecting male patients,
according to the Cayman Islands Cancer Registry. Ethnicity is one of
the top risk factors for prostate cancer with increased occurrence in
black African and Afro-Caribbean males.

Key
survey findings:

• 77
  percent of men who are married or in a domestic partnership would
  rather go shopping with their wife or significant other than go to
  the doctor.
  
• 46
  percent of men are most uncomfortable talking to their doctors about
  sex-related concerns, such as “below the belt issues” (skin
  irritations, erectile dysfunction, sexually transmitted
  diseases/infections) and/or their sexual history
  
• Among
  the 20 percent of men who have not been completely honest with their
  doctor in the past, the top reasons why include:
  they
  were embarrassed (46 percent)
  they
  didn't want to hear that they needed to change their diet/lifestyle
  (36 percent)
  they
  knew something was wrong but weren’t ready to face the diagnosis
  and/or would rather not know if they have any health issues (37
  percent)
  
  
• 41
  percent of men were told as children that men don’t complain about
  health issues
  
• 82
  percent of men try to stay healthy to live longer for friends and
  family who rely on them, yet only 50 percent engage in preventative
  care
  

Another
key finding was that 61 percent of men said they would be more likely
to go to their annual check-up if seeing the doctor was more
convenient for them. Cleveland Clinic now offers access to care
through many platforms, including virtual visits and Saturday
appointment hours.

Visit
www.clevelandclinic.org/MENtionIt
for
more information about men’s health and important preventive steps
every man can take.

Methodology

Results
of an online survey conducted among a national probability sample
consisting of 1,174 American males 18 years of age and older, living
in the continental United States. The total sample data is nationally
representative regarding age, gender, ethnicity and educational
attainment. The online surveys were conducted by YouGov and completed
between April 9-11, 2019. The margin of error (MOE) for the total
sample of each survey at the 95% confidence level is +/- 2.86
percentage points.

About
Cleveland Clinic Florida

Cleveland Clinic Florida is a
nonprofit, multi-specialty, academic medical center that integrates
clinical and hospital care with research and education. With
locations in Weston, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, Parkland, West
Palm Beach, Wellington, and Palm Beach Gardens, Cleveland Clinic
Florida has more than 250 physicians with expertise in 55
specialties. The medical campus is fully integrated and includes
diagnostic centers, outpatient surgery and a 24-hour emergency
department located in the state-of-the-art hospital. Cleveland Clinic
Florida ranked #1 among the best hospitals in the Miami-Fort
Lauderdale metro area and fourth in Florida in US News & World
Report’s 2019-2020 ranking of Best Hospitals metro area rankings.
Cleveland Clinic Florida is an integral part of Cleveland Clinic in
Ohio, where providing outstanding patient care is based upon the
principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Physicians at
Cleveland Clinic are experts in the treatment of complex conditions
that are difficult to diagnose. For more information about Cleveland
Clinic Florida, visit www.clevelandclinicflorida.org.
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