Are men as hopeless at going to the doctor’s as urban legend suggests?
Judging from the men I know, or I see waiting in GP surgeries or at the dentist, the male gender might be the victim of outdated typecasting.
What is unarguably true though is that the way people seek medical help, and what might trigger them to put their hand up, is very different for men, women and those who identify their gender in other ways.
So, it is not surprising that our men’s health story by Eric Martin this month has strong sporting references, with our cover sharing a poignant photo of Shane “Warnie” Warne bowing out, literally and figuratively.
Since his unexpected death from heart attack in March, only days after another cricket great Rod Marsh also succumbed, middle-aged men have been going in their droves to have their own ticker checked out.
We tend to associate heart attack as the body’s sign of wearing out a bit in old age, so when it happens to someone in their 50s, 60s or even their 70s it seems premature.
Since [Warne’s] unexpected death from heart attack in March, only days after another cricket great Rod Marsh also succumbed, middle-aged men have been going in their droves to have their own ticker checked out.
And when it strikes someone who is fit and of sporting greatness, everyone really hits the panic button.
We are all well-versed in the mantra of following a healthy diet and exercising to reduce heart attack risk, but many middle-aged men are asking if there is anything else they could be doing to avoid becoming a premature statistic – through lifestyle or early detection.
And while we’re breaking down stereotypes, our story explains it’s not just the overweight who are at risk.