On average men die at a significantly younger age than women.
The average life expectancy for New Zealand men is almost four years less than women (presently 79.3 years compared to 83), however there is no biological reason for this (source: www.nz.movember.com).
Men go to the doctor three times less than women (source: www.nz.movember.com). Because of this their health is monitored less regularly, meaning doctors are less likely to catch health issues in the early stages.
Here are tests you should be having especially as you get older, to screen for health issues… most of these can be treated if caught in the early stages:
Prostate Cancer:
- 1 in 10 New Zealand men will develop prostate cancer
- Over 600 men die in New Zealand each year from prostate cancer (source: www.prostate.org.nz)
If caught in its early stages while still confined to the prostate gland, prostate cancer can be cured.
Prostate Cancer mostly affects men over the age of 65 and rarely occurs in men younger than 55. That being said, it is recommended that men over the age of 40 get an annual check for prostate cancer.
The test itself is a simple blood test which looks for the presence of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) or a Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), where the doctor feels the prostate to see if it is enlarged or has any irregularities. While the DRE test may be uncomfortable and a bit embarrassing, it could be lifesaving.
Blood Pressure:
- Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from coronary heart disease
- Many of these deaths are premature and preventable. (source: www.heartfoundation.org.nz)
High blood pressure (or hypertension) can lead to a heart attack or stroke. It is known as the silent killer as there are no symptoms, which is why it is important to have regular blood pressure checks - especially if there is a family history of high blood pressure.
It is recommended that all adults have their blood pressure checked every two years unless it is on the high side… then it should be checked annually.
A blood pressure test is really easy… the doctor will wrap a blood pressure cuff around your upper arm, inflate it and take the reading. It only takes a couple of minutes.
Cholesterol:
- New Zealanders have some of the highest average cholesterol levels in the world and 17% of all deaths in New Zealand can be related to high cholesterol levels (source: www.southerncross.co.nz)
The Heart Foundation recommends that all adults have a fasting cholesterol test every five years, and every two years if there is a family history of heart disease. Men over the age of 34 should get checked at least every five years.
To check cholesterol levels, a doctor can arrange for a fasting blood test which checks total cholesterol, 'bad' cholesterol (or LDL) and 'good' cholesterol (or HDL). If the levels are elevated, a doctor will likely recommend diet and lifestyle changes first and if these levels do not improve, medication may be recommended.
Diabetes:
- 7% of New Zealanders over the age of 15 have diabetes
- 18.6% have pre-diabetes which typically leads to Type II diabetes
- The pre-diabetes prevalence increases with age - it is 45% in the 55-64 year age group (source: www.sciblogs.co.nz)
Diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Once someone has diabetes, they have it for life… there is no cure, but the symptoms can be managed.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. To help reduce the chances of getting diabetes a healthy diet, regular exercise and being within a healthy weight range are recommended.
Men should have a diabetes check over the age of 45. Maori, Pacific and Indo-Asian men are at higher risk of developing diabetes, so should start getting checked over the age of 35.
Again a blood test is all that is needed to determine if you have diabetes.
Bowel Cancer:
- 3,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in New Zealand
- The survival rate of New Zealanders with bowel cancer is just 55%. This is tragically low when you consider 75% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully if iagnosed early. (source:ww.beatbowelcancer.org.nz).
Bowel cancer is more common as you get older - particularly from the age of 50, and affects more men than women.
Men aged 50+ should be screened every two years, if you have a family history of bowel cancer you should have annual screening.
To screen for bowel cancer a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) is done… basically a stool sample is provided and this is tested to detect any blood in the bowel motion, even before it becomes visible to the naked eye.
Arranging to have an annual check-up with your doctor and being proactive about your health could add years to your life.
