Men's Health Matters
- September 2004
- Français
It's no secret that men are traditionally reluctant to discuss health matters. Numerous studies have shown that men are less likely to take preventive measures to maintain their health than women, and when problems arise will be less likely to promptly visit their doctors. "This often leads to a delay in diagnosis and the chance that the disease has advanced, when sometimes early treatment could have prevented more serious disease states," says Dr. Tom Song, Urologist and the Niagara Health System's Chief of Surgery at Welland Hospital Site.
"In health care today, one of the identified needs in the communities we serve is the need for better health education," Dr. Song says. "With Niagara's aging population, health care demands are expected to increase and one way to help alleviate this is to educate our communities regarding steps they can take to maintain good health and prevent diseases." Simple steps such as avoiding smoking and eating a healthy diet have been proven time and time again to significantly reduce risk of major illnesses such as diabetes and stroke.
Promoting better health and education in preventive medicine is therefore a major goal of this series of Community Health Forums, which began in May with a session on Colorectal Cancer and continues with Men's Health issues in September, and a session on Breast Cancer to follow in October. The September 13 Men's Health Evening focused on Prostate Diseases including Prostate Cancer and Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, and Male Sexual Health. More than 250 people attended the informative evening.
"These are classic examples of conditions men are reluctant to discuss, and this is why the session was advertised to spouses and families in the hope that someone will take the initiative to bring their husband, father or grandfather for an evening of education," says Dr. Song. Each session is presented in a relaxed, informal manner with time for discussion and interaction with the presenters. This provides a unique opportunity to ask questions directly to the physician speaker and receive an expert opinion. The Men's Health presenters were Drs. Hagop Mazmanian and Tom Song of the Dept. of Urology at the Welland Site of the NHS.
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, or BPH, is a condition which affects half of all men over the age of 50. It is a condition in which the prostate, a male sex gland that is responsible for the storage and secretion of semen, grows too big and causes difficulty with urination. In the past, up to 25% of all men with this condition required surgery, however, new medications and procedures have developed that can make surgery unnecessary.
Prostate cancer is a disease which will affect 20,000 Canadian men and kill 20% of them. The dilemma is that some men will live full lives without requiring treatment, whereas others can have a more aggressive disease. The problem is determining who requires early treatment, and information regarding treatment options and also preventive measures will be discussed.
Finally, male sexual health and specifically erectile dysfunction or ED is an issue that almost everyone has questions about. With the seeming explosion of media interest, it is no longer unacceptable to discuss ED in mixed groups. "ED can sometimes be a red flag, indicating more serious conditions such as heart problems or diabetes, and it is important that the public is aware of this," says Dr. Song.
"I was extremely pleased to see that so many men took the opportunity to learn more about preventing the onset of these diseases, by becoming more educated at our Community Health Forum," Dr. Song says. "It could save their lives."
The next Community Health Forum in the series is a Breast Health Awareness Evening scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Port Colborne's Roselawn Complex, starting at 6:30 pm. Watch for our Oct. 1 lead story for more details about this event.