All too often, life gets in the way of being proactive about our health. Men in particular are more likely to skip their preventive care appointments and delay seeking medical care until an issue is severe. According to a report by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), more than half of all men surveyed have not seen their primary care physician for a physical exam within the past year. June is Men’s Health Month, an annual reminder of the importance of putting your health first.
By having a preventive visit with your primary care team, men can avoid potential health issues and improve their overall health. Research published in The American Journal of Medicine shows that people who receive care from primary care physicians are healthier, and that community and public health is better in areas with more primary care physicians. Similar studies have also found that people in these areas live longer and have lower rates of heart disease, cancer and stroke. These regular visits help establish a trusting relationship between patients and their providers, giving them the opportunity to discuss realistic health goals and create action plans to achieve them. This is in addition to helping men stay on top of preventive care such as immunizations.
Primary care also plays a crucial role in detecting, monitoring and managing chronic diseases. These conditions are responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths each year, and treating people with these diseases accounts for 86 percent of our nation’s health care costs, according to the CDC. Preventive visits are an opportunity to identify risk factors for future issues, as many common conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol often don’t have symptoms, but can lead to severe complications down the road if they are left untreated. By detecting issues early, we can help patients make changes that will prevent the development of these conditions.
This June, take the time to be proactive about your health, and encourage your loved ones to do the same. You will enjoy the many health benefits it will provide down the road.
About the Author:
Hogai Nassery is the Medical Director at Harken Health in Atlanta and is an experienced primary care physician with nearly 20 years of family medicine experience in both patient care and academic settings. In her current role, she oversees the operations of the six Atlanta Metro Harken Health Centers. Harken Health is a new kind of health care company that unites relationship-based primary care with flexible and competitively priced health insurance. Harken Health has a Health Center located in East Cobb at 2100 Roswell Rd.
