Down tools and get checked

Men need to make themselves a priority and take the time to look after their own health, according to the Rockingham Kwinana Division of General Practice.

Picture: Kevin Shanks checks Bill Taylor’s blood pressure.

Deputy chief executive officer Kevin Shanks said during Men’s Health Week, which finishes on June 19, the practice wants to encourage men to put aside some of their work and family commitments and focus on having a health check.

He said even today men were reluctant to visit their doctor until they were really sick so if a chronic disease was involved it was usually already too late.

‘‘It’s 2011 but sadly most men make their car more important before giving their health any priority or maintenance,’’ Mr Shanks said.

He said men who were overweight or obese, suffered physiological distress, consumed harmful amounts of alcohol or smoked put their health most at risk.

He said these five top risk factors contributed to the four major causes of avoidable mortality in men — cancer, cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease and lung cancer.

The top three hospital presentations for men were complications with diabetes, chronic obstructive airways disease related to smoking, and dental conditions.

Aboriginal men’s health is worse, with the top five hospital presentations being dialysis, accidental injury, alcohol and drug disorders, acute respiratory infection and interpersonal violence.

The statistics quoted by the practice were collected for a population health study by Adelaide University as well as State and Federal data.