Father’s Day is the third Sunday of June every year, meaning that, this year, Father’s Day will be on June 18th. Father’s Day allows us to celebrate the wonderful contributions that the Fathers or Grandfathers have made in our lives. For this reason, June is National Men’s Health Month, which seeks to convince men to be more vigilant about their health and to encourage them to see their physician for regular check-ups.
American men, on average, live less than 5 years than American women. Back in the 1920’s, women’s life expectancy was only one more year on average. Despite advances in health, this disparity has continued to grow, even though the average life expectancy for Americans has increased over time. A potential explanation for this is men’s increased risk for a number of diseases and conditions, including both heart disease and depression. Also, women visit the doctor’s office two-times more on average.
Visiting the doctor’s office dramatically increases the chances of being diagnosed with a serious illness in its early stages, which, in turn, increases the chances of survival. To illustrate the importance of Men’s Health Month and visiting the physician, below are facts regarding men’s health:

• The average American man lives 76.4 years, while the average American women lives 81.2 years
• Men are 4x more likely to commit suicide than women, due to a higher rate of depression found in men
• Men suffer from hearing-loss 2x more than women

This month, help encourage the men in your life to see their physician for a check-up at least once-a-year. For medical care, feel free to visit our Methuen urgent care center, open 7 days a week on a walk-in basis. Call us at 978-975-0700 for more information.