It Seems My Husband Will Only See A Doctor If It's An Emergency. How Do I Get Him To Go To The Doctor Sooner Than Later?

July 1, 2009— -- Question: It seems my husband will only see a doctor if it's an emergency. How do I get him to go to the doctor sooner than later?

Answer: Well, there is some truth to that statement. It shows that in studies that men visit a doctor for preventive health services approximately 20 percent less than women. So I think the thing you want to impress on him [is] that a lot of the leading causes of death in men, for instance heart disease, stroke, colon cancer and prostate cancer, can be markedly reduced in risk with a few simple preventive health exams.

For instance, checking blood pressure, checking cholesterol, screening for colon cancer and discussing the pros and cons of screening for prostate cancer. So I think you want to emphasize that if men don't undergo these preventive screens, they can end up going for much more intensive doctor and hospital visits later on in life.