Diseases such as heart disease and cancer often develop without symptoms until advanced stages, and men are less likely than women to receive preventative care.
June puts the focus on men’s health with doctors urging men to get regular check-ups to treat possible diseases in their early stages.
“Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Preventive care can help detect issues early—when they’re easier to treat and outcomes are better, said Dr. Pranam Kokilakumar, D.O., Family Medicine physician at Piedmont Augusta, in a news release from the hospital.
A 2022 Cleveland Clinic survey shows only 60% of men get an annual checkup, and 40% wait until something is wrong to seek care—putting them at higher risk for undiagnosed chronic disease, the news release continued.
Lack of preventative care factors into shorter life expectancies for men.
Men live an average of six years less than women, according to an October 2025 article at NPR. On average, men live to just short of 76 years, compared to 81 for women.
The overall mortality rate is 41 percent higher for men than women, and it’s higher for men for eight out of 10 leading causes of death—including heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes according to an article at the Indiana School of Medicine website..
“Despite these statistics, 20 percent of men report seeing a doctor so their significant other or a loved one will stop nagging them,” said Helen Bernie, DO, MPH, Director of Male Sexual and Reproductive Medicine and assistant professor of urology at the Indiana School of Medicine. “It’s important to encourage the men in your life to see a doctor. You can make an impact!”
Also men are less likely to care for their mental health.
“There is a silent crisis in men’s mental health — one that too often goes unnoticed or unspoken. Men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women, underscoring the urgent need to break this silence and seek support,” according to the NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) website.
The suicide hotline is available by dialing 988.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named Augusta Magazine’s best local writer in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
