This week is men’s health week. Why do we need to think especially about men’s health? Perhaps it’s because men do not go to the doctor very often. Some men feel it is a sign of weakness to say they are not well so they do not tell anyone if they have health problems.
This week some well-known men have talked about their health problems or about the importance of seeing a doctor when necessary. They say that men should share their health stories. We know that men usually die younger than women and often it is because of stress in their work or life. More men than women are overweight, drink too much alcohol and smoke. More men than women have strokes or commit suicide.
Here is the website: Men’s Health Week. Men can take a survey on this website to find their health score. The questions are about blood pressure, blood sugar, exercise, diet (eating fruit and vegetables), signs of skin cancer, stress, depression and family history of diabetes.
Vocabulary
stroke – blood flow to the brain stops
commit suicide – kill yourself (these two words go together)
depression – feeling unhappy for a long time
diabetes – high blood sugar because of a problem with insulin
Questions
Statistics for European men, Asian men, Maori men and Pacific Island men are different. What about in your culture? Do men have the same health problems? Do they go to the doctor?
Do women share health stories with each other?