Guys, when was your last doctor visit?

Guys, when was your last doctor visit?

Eighty percent of men could remember the make and model of their first car, but only 54 percent could remember the last time they went to the doctor for a check-up, according to a survey commissioned by Orlando Health in conjunction with the start of Drive for Men’s Health.

The event is led by two male surgeons who are traveling across the country to promote men’s health awareness.

“Your body is essentially like a car,” said Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, co-founder of Drive for Men’s Health, in a news release. “You need to get checks done per recommendation, per guidelines every one year, five years, ten years, whatever the guidelines are. But the only difference between a car and your body is you only have one body.”

The survey isn’t the first time men have been cited for not taking care of their health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women are 100-percent more likely to visit their doctor for their annual checkup than men.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that men are 22-percent more likely than women to have neglected their cholesterol tests, 32-percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes, and 24-percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by an immunization.

“I think we have come to the point where we only seek care if we have a problem,” says Dr. Marlito Favila, internal medicine physician with Advocate Medical Group in Bloomington, Ill. “That in and of itself is a problem because there are certain diseases and illnesses that if caught early, the impact of those illnesses can be mitigated. It is important that a person see their primary care physician more often than when they have a problem arise.”

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About the Author

Lynn Hutley
Lynn Hutley

Lynn Hutley, health enews contributor, is coordinator of public affairs and marketing at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center and Advocate Eureka Hospital in central Illinois. Having grown up in a family-owned drug store, it is no surprise that Lynn has spent almost 18 years working in the health care industry. She has a degree in human resources management from Illinois State University and is always ready to tackle Trivia Night.