Why Won't Men Go to See a Doctor?

By Janice Lane Palko

In 2019, the Cleveland Clinic conducted a study on men and their reluctance to seek health care. The study found that 72% of men would rather do chores than visit a physician, and a full 66% preferred to self-diagnose.

“I think there are a lot of reasons why men don’t go to the doctor, but overall, I think men seem to want to ignore or deny they have a medical problem,” said Daniel Grob, MD. 

“They feel they are too busy to go to the doctor and would rather believe the issue will go away on its own. Some men are not comfortable admitting that they are having a problem to another person. They want to be invincible. They also tend to feel that preventative screening is not of any benefit.”

Often, that reluctance can prove to be costly or worse, fatal. 

“It is important to find and establish a relationship with a primary care physician that understands your perspective on life and can help you achieve your best health outcomes by weaving sound medical advice into your life perspective. We live in an era where there is a wealth of information. When it comes to your health outcomes, the challenge is to know what information pertains to you. Just like shopping or a tool or gadget to use during your favorite hobby, finding the right physician for you can take time,” said Eric Griffin, DO. 

“At a minimum, a yearly well visit is recommended to establish a patient doctor relationship. If you have chronic health issues, then a 4 or 6 month follow up is often recommended. If you are experiencing an illness or have chronic medical issues that require testing or medication changes, then a 1 to 2 month follow up visit is often recommended until that issue improves or resolves.”

It is important for men to establish a relationship with a primary care physician once they graduate from their pediatrician’s office for a variety of reasons. 

“I feel it is important to have a strong focus on preventing medical problems. Men who have established relationships with physicians are counseled on healthy eating habits and on their ideal body weight, and have screening labs to check for high cholesterol and other medical conditions,” said Tad Scheri, MD. 

“They get blood pressure screenings to ensure they do not have high blood pressure. They are encouraged to exercise routinely. And once a relationship with a physician is established, it becomes easier to get appointments to treat acute illnesses like sinus infections along with chronic medical conditions.”

Everyone wants to live a long, healthy life, including men, and seeking regular medical care is vital to that. 

“Having a long-term longitudinal relationship with a primary care physician is an important part to living a long, healthy life,” said Dr. Scheri.