3rd Annual Jefferson Urology Symposium: Men’s Health Forum

© The Canadian Journal of Urology TM : International Supplement, August 2020 Developing a men’s health program Perry R. Weiner, DO, Andrew Salib, MD Department of Urology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA WEINER PR, SALIB A. Developing a men’s health program. Can J Urol 2020;27(Suppl 3):51-53. Introduction: Many healthcare disparities exist between men and women due to differences in lifestyles and health seeking behaviors. Such differences lead to higher mortality and lower life expectancy in men. The field of urology has the unique opportunity of acting as a gateway to men’s overall health, where a urologist can diagnose medical diseases in patients and refer them to the appropriate specialist. In this review article we discuss the need for men’s health programs and our experience with creating such program in Philadelphia. Methods and materials: In this review article we outline our experience with creating a men’s health program to serve the diverse Philadelphia population. We discuss the healthcare needs and demographics of our geographical area. Results: We identify factors essential for the success of our men’s health program such as: developing a business model, drawing support from our institution, identifying key medical specialties to include in the program, assigning patient navigators and integration of electronic medical records. Conclusion: Men’s health program provide tailored care for male patients that best suits their needs and healthcare seeking behaviors. The success of such programs requires commitment from physicians from many medical specialties to provide holistic care. Key Words: men’s health, program, urology Address correspondence to Dr. Perry R. Weiner, Department of Urology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1025Walnut Street, College Building, Suite 1110, Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA Introduction We recognize the healthcare needs and utilization patterns of men are dissimilar to the needs of women. Men have a higher mortality rate and worse health outcomes compared to their female counterparts. World Health Organization (WHO) data in 2012 showed that men were more likely to die younger than women in every country surveyed, with some countries showing a male death rate twice as high as females. Also, men have a lower life expectancy than women worldwide, and this life expectancy gap is projected to broaden overtime. 1 In the United States, men die 5.4 years earlier than women and have a 43% higher all-cause death rate. 2 This discrepancy in mortality is secondary to modifiable (diet, exercise, healthy behavior, occupational exposure, substance use) and unmodifiable risk factors (genetics). Research into differences between female and male behaviors found that males are more likely to engage in harmful activities such as smoking, drug and alcohol use, and medical care avoidance. 3 One driving force for such risky health behaviors is the societal construct of masculinity. Such standards promote risk-taking, avoiding healthy behaviors, and putting work ahead of all other responsibilities. 3 Encouraging positive societal peer pressure can encourage men to live healthy lives and develop healthy habits. Houle et al showed that men with positive peer pressure from family and co-workers are more conscious about their health, develop healthy habits, and improve interpersonal relationships. 4 Men view their healthcare needs from a different perspective than our female counterparts; whereas women tend to focus on prevention, men tend to focus on repair. Though women visit the doctor 150% as often as men, men cost the healthcare system more than women because they seek care at more advanced stages of disease. Reasons for this disparity are many, including male perception of a strong, unbreakable self-image, attitudes towards financial and family responsibilities, anddenial. Twenty-five per cent ofmen have acknowledged theywouldwait as long as possible before seeking care for a specific problem. 5 Men tend to have a higher mortality risk due to cardiovascular, pulmonary and infectious diseases. Additionally, men demonstrate a higher disposition towards behaviors such as smoking, alcoholism, substance abuse, unsafe sex, and other high risk behaviors leading to intentional and unintentional injuries. Avoidance is especially common in men ages 20 to 40. In this age range, men are twice as likely as women to die from any cause. 51