"What are we doing to support men [when it comes to health]? Not enough. Not very much. We don't know as much as we should. We should do better," Healthy Male Director and CEO Simon von Saldern says.
Highlights
- Men typically have a transactional relationship with the healthcare system - that is, they only go to the doctor when something is broken or not working.
- Male infertility brings about the failure to conceive as often as female infertility.
- One in every 10 men go through postnatal depression.
A transactional relationship
According to Mr Von Saldern, that some have the misconception that men are unwilling to go to the doctor. He shares that while men do visit the doctor, they do so only when they feel it is necessary.
"Data shows that men from the age of 40 onward see the doctor as often as women do, but the difference is how they go about doing things. While men tend to go for one thing only, women tend to go for a few things they want to talk to their doctor about."
Mr Von Saldern shares that because men tend to suffer from an illness longer before they go to the doctor, they also tend to stay in hospitals longer than women.
"Data shows that men from the age of 40 onward see the doctor as often as women do, but the difference is how they go about doing things." Source: Getty/d76 masahiro ikeda
"A young woman will go see the doctor at around 16 for contraceptive pills and a pap smear test. She will have an annual test at the very least. Going to the doctor is not foreign. A young healthy male may not [visit with a doctor that early.]"
"I've met a guy who went to the doctor for the first time when he was 35. He just didn't need to see a doctor in his own eyes until then. The relationship of men [like the one mentioned] with the healthcare system is more transactional - needing it only when something is broken or not working."
Fertility
Aside from their general well-being, Mr Von Saldern also emphasises that men may lack information regarding their pre-conception health.
While women planning to get pregnant by their partners will at the very least go to the chemist for folic acid and zinc, men may not prepare as much.
"This is actually wrong," he says, adding, "In fact, the sperm a man produces, he will work on that three weeks prior. He needs to be as healthy as possible to have the best chances of conception and have the healthiest child possible. That means practising the basics of good health - diet, exercise, no alcohol and no smoking."
"He needs to be as healthy as possible to have the best chances of conception and have the healthiest child possible." Source: cottonbro from Pexels
Because women carry the babies, fertility issues are oftentimes pinned on them. However, Mr Von Saldern says that women are not always the ones with the issues.
"Just as often, a man's fertility can be an issue."
"Just as often, a man's fertility can be an issue." Source: Anthony Macchio from Pixabay
"Also, while men can produce sperm until they pass away, the quality and motility of the sperm go down from 40-45 years of age."
Pregnancy and postnatal depression
When partners are able to conceive, antenatal and postnatal depression are difficulties commonly attributed to the mother.
"One in every five women and one in every 10 men have postnatal depression. Statistics also show that during pregnancy, a lot of men suffer from anxiety and depression as well."
"Even in a case of miscarriage or still birth, men also go through loss, but they are lost as to where to go."
One in every 10 men have postnatal depression. Source: Holger Langmaier from Pixabay
While men may suffer from anxiety and depression, the healthcare system needs to rethink how it can better tackle these issues.
"At , we're looking at men from pregnancy up to the first year of a child's life. Men want to be more involved. We need to make sure that men are able to be the best, most engaged parents they can be. They need to be part of the process from day dot - from pre-conception."
"We need to make sure that men are able to be the best, most engaged parents they can be." Source: PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
"50, 60 years ago, men wait in the waiting rooms during delivery, smoking cigars," he says, adding, "Now men want to be more involved - and it's not just about allowing them in the birthing suite."
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