OCEAN COUNTY – Men eschew annual checkups and preventative services, making them more likely to die from nine of the 10 top causes of death than women.
Men need to take care of their health, for their families and for themselves. That’s the message the county is touting in June for Men’s Health Month.
“Men must focus on preventative measures such as regular doctor checkups and screenings to avoid adding to the grim statistics concerning mortality,” Freeholder Director Gerry Little said. He’s the board of health liaison. “We must also bring awareness to potential mental health issues, such as depression, to reduce another alarming statistic which suggests men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide. We have a responsibility to bring awareness to men’s health and, as we celebrate Father’s Day in the second week of June, we should be mindful of the tremendous benefits of prevention.
Men have higher mortality rates for diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Also of significance is the statistic showing that almost four times as many men than women are suicide casualties,” Ocean County Health Department public health coordinator Daniel E. Regenye said. “Clearly there is more to be done with prevention efforts and recognition of Men’s Health Month is appropriate and necessary as the public health community seeks to address the disparate levels of disease and mortality among our population.”
The Ocean County Health Department’s new web page has information to assist residents, Brian E. Rumpf, director of administration and program development for the Ocean County Health Department, said. The website lists screenings for blood pressure, stroke risk and osteoporosis, as well as diabetes education, hepatitis C for baby boomers, medication management and other health education such as tobacco cessation, sun safety and education on testicular and breast cancer prevention.
Visit the health department’s website at ochd.org.
