The Importance of Continuing Education on Preventive Health for Men

In a study published by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2022, preventive health accounted for 33.4% of all trips to care centers, and it’s the most common reason for a visit. However, that same study revealed that men are 50% less likely to engage with preventive healthcare than women, and it’s a significant contributing factor to men having shorter life expectancies and earlier rates of serious illness.

Why are men less likely to engage with preventive healthcare? Some of it is a pure lack of awareness of risk factors for diseases like diabetes and prostate cancer. Men also tend to bottle up stress rather than seeking help, have weaker social connections than women, and take bigger risks with their health in general.

Healthcare professionals have to be frontline advocates for preventive health for men, and success often depends on their ability to navigate delicate conversations and overcome social stigmas. Courses like Fatherhood in the Shadows – Addressing Postpartum Depression in Fathers give physicians and nurses strategies to address common objections and cultural barriers that prevent men from seeking the care they need.

Here are some of the most important areas health professionals should prioritize with their male patients to ensure they get the preventive healthcare they need.

Key Areas of Focus for Preventive Health for Men

Like women, men have unique healthcare concerns surrounding mental, physical, and sexual health in addition to general evaluations. Healthcare professionals should advocate for routine appointments and tests in addition to preventive health activities related to age, lifestyle, genetic risk factors, and emerging health concerns.

Annual Physicals

Every physical offers the patient and the provider a snapshot into the patient’s state of health. These annual checkups may include routine blood work, physical examinations, age-related EKGs, and urinalysis. During these visits, major medical issues may be identified, and further testing may be initiated.

Annual physicals should be a baseline health habit for everyone because they provide a regular point of contact for new information and developing concerns. They’re also excellent opportunities for doctors and nurses to build rapport, reduce anxiety for male patients about office visits, reinforce the value of positive health habits, and inform them of emerging trends in men’s health.

Health Screenings

Health screenings run parallel to annual health physicals, offering another layer of risk assessments for patients over time. Screenings are typically a combination of questioning to recruit information from the patient about current health risks and a physiologic assessment for objective data. Cancer is of particular concern—especially in men over 40—and healthcare professionals need to have a thorough understanding of risk factors, symptoms, and potential health disparities that may impact diagnostic activities.

Important health screenings for men include:

• Prostate cancer. 13% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and PSA testing is a critical component of preventive health for men.
• Colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that all men have regular colonoscopies starting at 45.
• Heart disease. After 40, healthcare professionals should evaluate each patient’s risk factors to recommend further screening activities.
• Skin cancer. This is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S., and environmental and lifestyle factors can significantly increase risk.

Of course, these screenings can be scary for patients, and especially for men who tend to avoid office visits or don’t prioritize their personal health. Doctors and nurses should take the time to counsel their male patients and support success with educational materials and reassurance.

Sexual Health

At first glance, one might assume discussions about sexual health in men would largely focus on risk-based topics like sexually transmitted infections (STIs). While these discussions are important, preventive sexual health should also include topics like cancer, fertility, and erectile dysfunction. Sexual health challenges can often be subtle, making CE on the topic important for early identification and intervention.

As many patients may not have the greatest comfort level when it comes to talking about their sexual health, having these conversations can be quite hard—especially for men. Erectile dysfunction, for instance, is closely associated with increased anxiety and depression rates in addition to being a difficult subject to address.

Sexual health is always a highly personal and challenging subject in the doctor’s office, and continuing education is key for unlocking effective strategies for navigating these conversations.

Vaccinations

Men, both young and old, need to be made aware of the importance of adult vaccinations for the flu, COVID, MPox, and HPV. The Tdap vaccine, which includes protection against pertussis, is especially important for men with children or grandchildren, as adult carriers of the illness can put young children at serious risk.

Unfortunately, vaccines have become a potentially divisive topic in recent years. The reality of today’s online culture is that 55 million Americans are seeking health information online, and 70% suggested it swayed their healthcare choices. Doctors and nurses are in a position to provide accurate, trusted guidance about preventive health for men and women in their care.

Mental Health

While not all providers may consider themselves experts in mental health, medical professionals need to be comfortable with basic concepts to identify patients at risk and intervene effectively. This is especially true of men, who tend to downplay their personal challenges and avoid mental healthcare discussions.

The stigma and shame associated with poor mental health can quickly result in treatable conditions evolving into serious or life-threatening crises. Continuing education is the foundation of better mental health screening, and routine preventive health for men provides a window into changing patterns of behavior and mental health needs.

Breaking Down Barriers to Preventive Health for Men

Raising awareness about preventive health for men is an ongoing struggle, but with effort, continuing education, and teamwork, providers can raise awareness and action with their male patients.

Premiere is committed to giving healthcare professionals the skills and strategies they need to encourage preventive health for men. Our library of courses for men’s health covers best practices for screening, common risk factors, gender-specific diseases, overcoming cultural barriers to care, and many other topics that make a big impact on the healthcare male patients receive.

All of Premiere’s award-winning courses are created by industry experts and help busy physicians and nurses meet their professional obligations and develop their careers at the touch of a screen.