A crisis in men’s health is getting worse

Boys and men are at higher risk of death than girls and women at all ages throughout life, from early childhood through teenage years to middle age and old age.

As a result, the gap in life expectancy between men and women is widening. in the United States, life expectancy in 2021 Female 79.1 years old, Male 73.2 years old. Her gap of 5.9 years is the largest in a quarter century. (Data were not parsed to include differences between nonbinary and transgender people.)

“Men have an advantage in all aspects of our society, but for most things that kill you, we are exacerbating the health consequences,” said Georgetown University Men at the Institute for Racial Justice. said Derek Griffiths, director of the Center for Health Equity. While it does not prioritize men’s health, it does require special attention and affects the rest of the family. ”

Although the difference in life expectancy between men and women is a global phenomenon, data on gender differences and ages of greatest risk vary around the world and are influenced by cultural norms, record keeping, geopolitical factors such as war, climate change and poverty. receive.

But data looking at health risks for boys and men in the United States paint a grim picture.

Proponents calling for more research on men’s health say the aim is not to steal resources from women, girls and gender minorities.

“Some people think that health care is a zero-sum gain and that every dollar spent on men’s health robs women of something.” We fully support women’s health initiatives and improve their quality of life. ”

But by viewing men as privileged defaults, health professionals ignore important gender differences that can underscore health problems across gender and minority groups.

For example, for many years there was a widespread belief in the medical community that women were overusing medical resources compared to men. As a result, men were seen as the norm when seeking health care, while women were often dismissed as being hysterical or “anxious” when seeking care.

“We thought women were overusing healthcare and men were doing it right,” Griffiths said. “What we found was that women were doing it well mainly for preventive care, and men were really underutilizing their health care.”

Explaining the lifespan gap

While the reasons behind lifespan gaps are not fully understood, the global nature of the disparity suggests that biology likely plays a powerful role.

For example, high levels of testosterone, which can dampen the immune response, may be a factor in why males, and male mammals in general, are more vulnerable to parasites. Infection. Estrogen may explain why women have lower rates of heart disease throughout their lives, and why the gap narrows after menopause. 1970s research When estrogen was given to men, it was not protective and caused heart attacks at twice the rate of the placebo group.)

Cultural biases about masculinity that teach boys and men to hide their feelings and not complain can also affect men’s health.

“Male depression is highly deceptive,” says Marianne J. Legato, a physician and founder of New York’s Gender-Specific Health Care Foundation. “Men are socially programmed not to complain. Suicide is often unexpected as the premature end of men’s lives compared to women’s.”

Cultural expectations to remain stoic can also delay men’s care. For example, ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure are common in both men and women, but men often take longer to seek treatment and are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage. It leads to a lot of damage and bad consequences.

“It’s an interesting conundrum, and in many ways it’s not well understood,” said cardiologist Steven Nissen, chief academic officer at the Cleveland Clinic. “Men need to pay close attention to cardiovascular risk factors. Treating risk factors early can reduce many risks.”

Men are also known to engage in more risky behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use, smoking, and reckless driving. The above risks are also why men’s health isn’t being studied, Griffiths said.

“It’s hard to convince people that men’s health is a problem,” he said.

An often-cited concern is that men are also less likely to go to the doctor. Boys and girls see a pediatrician at the same rate, but the trend changes in adulthood, with fewer men seeing a pediatrician. CDC data show In 2018, female visits were about 40% higher, with 2.24 visits for men compared to 3.08 for women.

One reason is that women of reproductive age visit their gynecologists regularly. “There is no similar path for men,” Nissen said.

But even when pregnancy visits are ruled out, research shows that women are still twice as likely to schedule regular annual checkups and use preventive services than men.

According to doctors, men are most likely to see a doctor for sports injuries and “Viagra” visits when seeking treatment for erectile dysfunction. We recommend that you take advantage of a visit to check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and other indicators of your overall health.

“Stamina and sexual health are two of the top concerns for men,” says Howard Lewine, a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and chief medical editor at Harvard Health Publishing. It is.” “Men in their 20s and 30s don’t think much about their health. The idea of ​​going to the doctor to prevent cancer or heart disease is in the minds of many men until something happens.” I don’t think so.”

Ironically, for years men have been overrepresented in medical research, often at the expense of women, according to a landmark 1985 report that further encouraged government investment in women’s health research. That’s it.

Harvey Simon, physician and founder of Harvard Men’s Health Watch, a newsletter dedicated to men’s health, said:

Men’s health advocates say one of the biggest factors is the lack of infrastructure to support research specifically focused on men’s health.

For years, the Men’s Health Network has lobbied for the creation of a men’s health office, similar to the Department of Health and Human Services’ women’s health office. However, the proposed bill has consistently failed to gain support.

Some medical systems claim to have departments focused on men’s health, but that care is often focused on heart care, mental health, or other areas that frequently afflict men. It focuses on urology and prostate health, not issues.

The topic of men’s health is simply not being embraced as something advocates, corporate sponsors and politicians want to get behind. , but nothing in men’s health has received as much attention.

“There is an empathy gap,” Henry said. “There are people who shrug their shoulders and say, ‘Yes, men die young.’ .”