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Hospital Impact has been ranked one of the top 50 healthcare blogs by Wikio.
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by Jenn Riggle
Women have always been considered the healthcare gatekeepers. However, things may be changing.
The popularity of Viagra has proven that men are taking a more active role in their healthcare--or at least they're willing to talk about issues that impact their sex lives. Since sexual performance issues affect approximately 15 to 30 million American men, this is a major issue.
We can give some of the credit to CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the ever popular Dr. Mehmet Oz for bringing men's health issues out of the locker room and into the living room.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been portrayed as an issue that impacts older men, but now Baby Boomers and Gen Xers have something new to worry about--"male menopause." Research shows that 25 percent men have testosterone levels that fall below normal in middle age, and that 40-something men often experience symptoms similar to perimenopausal women, including flagging libido, hot flashes, fatigue, weakness, insomnia, moodiness and weight gain.
Hospitals need to take advantage of men's new willingness to talk about their sex lives and use this as an opportunity to discuss other health issues. For example, doctors need to explain that erectile dysfunction is not just a sexual problem but can also be a symptom of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. In fact, 80 percent of men with ED have an underlying health cause.
One of biggest things holding men (besides their busy schedules) is fear. They're afraid of complications from prostate cancer treatment which can cause incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Pretty scary stuff.
Rather than scare men with complications, doctors need to focus on helping men maintain active and healthy sex lives, and regular health screenings as part of this. If we're honest with ourselves, this is why most women see a doctor at least once a year: They need to get their annual pap smear and renew their birth control prescription.
The good news is that some hospitals are getting on this bandwagon and are changing the way they talk to men.
For instance, Rochester Medical Center recently hosted a men's health day. The event, geared at men age 45 and older, lured them in with sports and sex. They brought Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers, whose friendship with cancer-stricken teammate, Brian Piccolo, was immortalized in the film, "Brian's Song." The medical center's approach made healthcare more palatable for men. Those attending the event could meet the sports legend and learn about back pain, heart disease and male menopause.
Talking to men about their health is new ground for hospitals, but it has major implications for both preventive care and the bottom line. Will your hospital man-up?
Jenn Riggle is an associate vice president and social media leader of the Health Practice at CRT/tanaka. She has 20 years of public relations experience in issues such as health care marketing and public relations, social media in health care, national media relations and strategic communications planning. She regularly engages in social media, both on Twitter (@riggrl) and frequently blogs about social media and health care issues for The Buzz Bin, a PR and marketing blog.
