Men's Preventive Health

Sponsor Organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Campaign Website: www.ahrq.gov/healthymen
Volunteer Agency: Grey NY

Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year and are 22 percent more likely than woman to have neglected their cholesterol tests. Furthermore, men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long term complications of diabetes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council have partnered on a new phase of a national public service advertising campaign designed to encourage middle-age men to learn which preventive medical tests they need to get, and when to get them. The campaign incorporates family as a key motivator, encouraging men to get the tests they need now so they can be there for their families in the future. 

The campaign highlights the work of the AHRQ-sponsored U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that systematically reviews the evidence of effectiveness and develops recommendations for clinical preventive services. The Task Force reported that age-appropriate screening is the simplest way to identify possible conditions and to increase the length and quality of life. Additionally, routine screenings prevent smaller health issues from becoming serious problems.

The campaign directs men to a comprehensive Web site, www.ahrq.gov/healthymen, which provides recommended ages for preventive medical tests, a preventive health care quiz, tips for talking with doctors, a glossary of consumer health terms, and links to online resources for medical information.