No Directions Needed: Why Men Avoid the Doctor

According to a recent study, nearly 60% of men say they won’t see a doctor even if they think they have a real health issue. That’s one serious claim. Men may hate asking for directions, but why are they avoiding the doctor’s office? “In general, men do not enjoy opening up and talking, especially about intimate issues. And to a man, it’s all intimate,” says physician David R. Birch, DO, FAAFP, of Beebe Family Practice - Beacon. 

Here are some other possible reasons men tend to put off seeing the doctor:

+ Embarrassment. A lot of men are uncomfortable with the thought of being exposed in a doctor’s office.

+ “Waste of time.” Some men believe doctors don’t have much to offer.

+ “Waste of money.” Why spend the green just to have someone tell you you’re fine?

+ Don’t have a doctor. Have no desire to search for one.

+ Don’t want to be told what to do. It’s my life, and doctors only get in the way of that.

If you are, or know, a man that’s been putting off that yearly physical for nearly a decade, remember that health applies to all—so set aside the excuses and take the first step toward routine checkups by scheduling an appointment with a local physician.

This article appeared first in the Summer 2017 issue of the Beacon.