Mens Preventive Health

Sponsor Organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Campaign Website: www.ahrq.gov/realmen
Volunteer Agency: McCann Erickson Detroit

Men are 25 percent less likely than women to have visited the doctor within the past year and are 38 percent more likely than women to have neglected their cholesterol tests. Furthermore, men are 1.5 times more likely than women to die from heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council have launched a new PSA campaign to encourage middle-aged men to learn which potentially life-saving medical tests they need to get and when they need to get them. The lighthearted ads incorporate family as a key motivating factor for men to take a more active role in preventive health. They show that being a real man means taking care of themselves (and their health) in order to be there for their families now and in the future.

The “Real Men Wear Gowns” campaign directs men to a comprehensive Web site, www.ahrq.gov/realmen, which provides recommended ages for preventive medical tests, a quiz designed to test your knowledge of preventive health care, tips for talking with your doctor, a glossary of consumer health terms, and links to online resources where you can find more medical information.