Men are reluctant to take precautions, and this is reflected in their life expectancy. An initiative wants to change that – with mustaches.
Frankfurt – Hardly anyone really likes going to the doctor. Men in particular often only go when they are already suffering from symptoms. However, optimal treatment options exist for most diseases if they are detected early. Probably one of the reasons why men are more likely to be affected by diseases such as cancer. In general, men die around 4.5 years earlier than women, as the Movember initiative reports.
This is also noticeable in Germany. One Analysis of the Barmer health insurance company showed that only twelve percent of men received an early detection test for prostate cancer in 2019. In the same year, almost four times as many women had screening tests for breast or cervical cancer – so the problem is more likely to be male. But how can it be changed? According to the initiators of “Movember” with mustaches.
Men die earlier: The mustache is intended to draw attention to men’s health in November
“The mustache is our symbol of better men’s health. “It also attracts attention and stimulates important conversations,” it says website. Participants grow a beard in November. If you would like to exchange ideas with other men or encourage each other, you can also register on the site.
According to the initiators, “Movember” has been involved in over 1,000 projects since it was founded in 2003 to draw attention to the issue of men’s health. The goal is to reduce the number of men who die prematurely by a quarter by 2023. Still is too Cancer a common illness among men, although there are now even Alternatives to radical surgery.
Cancer in men
Every year around 265,000 men in Germany are diagnosed with cancer. In men between 45 and 65, cancer is the most common cause of death. Around 54 percent of cases of the disease are diagnosed in men, making them more likely to have cancer than women. The disease doesn’t just affect older men: in the recent past, several professional footballers have been affected, for example Sebastian Haller was diagnosed with cancer when he was under 30.
Source: Federal Statistical Office
Men’s Health: “A cancer screening can save a life.”
Still will Early detection appointments rarely attended. Upon request from IPPEN.MEDIA explains Thorsten Jakob, press spokesman for the Barmer health insurance company: “On the whole, men can still be described as ‘preventative care people’ compared to women when it comes to taking advantage of early cancer detection examinations, but also based on the current figures.”
The Barmer analysis even states: “A cancer screening can save lives.” Men can take advantage of several early detection measures from a certain age. “All early detection examinations offered are equally important. Because cancer often develops in silence. The time of diagnosis is often crucial to the success of the treatment,” explained Jakob. You should react to some of these signs and symptoms and seek medical advice to clarify the causes.
Barmer is not yet aware of the “Movember” initiative, but any serious action that draws men’s attention to early detection examinations is welcome.
According to research, men apparently consider their health to be of secondary importance
But why do men go to the doctor comparatively less often? There is no clear answer for this. According to Jakob, some studies assume that many men consider their health to be of little importance. Other reasons could be that men do not want to show weakness or are simply afraid of early detection examinations. Things are different for women, as they are more used to regular visits to the doctor, for example through regular gynecological examinations, which usually begin with puberty.
The causes of diseases such as cancer in men are diverse. According to According to a Swedish study, smokers have an increased risk of death from prostate cancer.
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