Self-Checks
In addition to regular doctor visits, self-checks are a crucial and easy way to protect your and your partner’s health. Despite their name, self-checks are much more thorough when done by a partner. For example, skin cancer in men is predominantly seen on their backs, which of course, is much easier to be seen by a partner. Getting your partner involved in your self-checks and being involved in his helps insure that they become a routine.
Additional Suggestions
If the men in your life continue to avoid getting medical attention, the following approaches may help:
- Find health providers which have weekend and evening appointments or have offices close to his work.
- Schedule simultaneous appointments for the both of you and make fun plans to do something together afterwards.
- Find out whether he is more comfortable seeing a male or female health care provider and make sure he’s seeing the one he prefers. On a related note, try to avoid physicians who tend to scold.
- Recruit male friends or relatives with good health habits to help reinforce your message.
- Point out the connection between good health and good physical and mental performance in sports, work stamina, etc.
- Gently remind him that his children will be influenced by the example he sets when forming life-long health habits.
- Decide on an exercise routine that involves, and is enjoyable to, the both of you. If necessary, make the exercise out to be something for you that you need his support for even if it’s primarily for his own benefit.
- Encourage him to celebrate Men’s Health Week by seeing a doctor about annoying health problems or getting a thorough check-up. You can give him the gift of health by setting an appointment for him as a Men’s Health Week gift.