Do we Really Need Celebrities to Tell Men to Go to Their Doctor more Frequently?

Back in September 2022, The Washington Post shared an article in which actor Ryan Reynolds discusses his recent trip to his gastroenterologist where he underwent a colonoscopy. The visit was only on the cards because he lost a bet! Thank goodness that he lost, as it allowed his doctors to identify and remove a cancerous polyp forming. After reading this, it made me think about the current state of men’s health. Why is it that men compared to women are generally less likely to present to physicians for regular check-ups and tend to only go for reactive purpose due to some symptoms?1 Do we really need celebrities to tell men to go to their doctor more frequently as early diagnosis is key in the treatment of many illnesses?

Looking at the example from oncology: It is estimated that men are about 40% more likely to die from cancer than women.2,3,4 That is an worrying number which begs the question as to why this is the case and how we can change it. One of the reasons, in my opinion, may lie in exactly this reluctance of men to seek health advice. A study conducted in the UK showed that the crude consultation rate for primary care was 32% lower in men than women, indicating that, regardless of income or ethnicity, men seek their doctors’ advice less often.5 But not only in the UK, also across Europe, there is a difference in how often men and women consult their doctors which could be one of many factors that contribute to later diagnosis of many diseases and ultimately result in men receiving treatment too late and causing an increase in male mortality.6 And also the picture outside Europe shows the same: A study of gender differences in cancer screening beliefs, behaviours, and willingness to participate in America showed that despite a majority of men and women believing cancer screenings are effective in detecting cancer, a significant proportion of men had never had a cancer screening.7

So, why are men more reluctant to go to the doctor, ultimately putting themselves at higher risk than women because of later diagnosis? There are many studies looking into gender differences, specifically into why men find it harder to speak up about their health.8,9,10,11 Previous research has confirmed that social norms, perceived behavioural control and health beliefs are psychological factors that act as potential determinants of men seeking healthcare support.9,10 The phenomenon of men being more likely to keep silent and wait to delay visiting a healthcare professional for care compared to women is being referred to as a ‘silent health crisis’.12 I am concerned that this crisis will impact men’s ability to prevent diagnosable and treatable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and mental health diseases.13
In an effort to improve male cancer patients’ outcomes, I want to encourage our fathers, sons, brothers and friends to open the healthcare dialogue and review the options available to them. Cancer screening is a critical tool at our disposal, as it allows for the early detection of cancer which greatly increases the chances for successful treatment that can result in improved outcomes.14

So, reflecting back to Ryan, I wonder if encouraging other male celebrities to follow in his footsteps and leverage their fame to influence and reach men would be the answer to kickstart a paradigm shift of men seeing their doctor more frequently? It might be a start. But what’s more important is that we in the “healthcare sector” need to find more effective and direct ways to drive this transformation ourselves. For cancer, the reality is that it can affect all of us at any time. Seeking preventative measures such as screening is our number one tool against cancer mortality.

Author: Fatih Yedikardeş, Country Manager Daiichi Sankyo Canada