Beyond the Usual Checkup Reminder

Every November, Men's Health Awareness Month brings a familiar message: schedule your physical. That advice matters, but some of the biggest challenges men face don't show up on a routine blood panel, and others go undiagnosed because no one thinks to ask.

Here are four issues that deserve more attention, plus practical steps you can take for yourself or someone you care about.

The Friendship Gap

Ask a man how many close friends he has, and the answer may be smaller than you'd expect. In a 2021 national survey from the Survey Center on American Life, 15 percent of men said they had no close friends at all, up from just 3 percent in 1990. The share of men with six or more close friends was cut roughly in half over the same period.

Longer work hours, frequent moves, and busy family lives all play a role. Many men's friendships also center on shared activities, so when the league or the job ends, the friendship can quietly fade.

This matters for health. Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks of heart disease and depression.

Rebuilding connection doesn't have to be awkward; it works best when it's built into your routine.

What helps:

• Put it on the calendar. A standing breakfast or a monthly call is easier to keep than "we should get together sometime."
• Lean on shared activities. A new league, volunteer opportunity, or class, gives you a reason to socially interact without pressure to fill the conversation.
• Reach out to one person this week. A quick text to an old friend is a low-pressure start.

If loneliness is starting to affect your sleep, mood, or energy, mention it to your doctor. It's a real health concern.

New Dads Get Postpartum Depression, Too

Postpartum depression is widely recognized in mothers. Fewer people know fathers can experience it too. A widely cited review of research published in JAMA found that about 10 percent of fathers experience depression during their partner's pregnancy or after the birth, with rates highest when the baby is three to six months old. Fathers are rarely screened, so many never connect what they're feeling to the new baby.

The same research found that depression in one parent is linked to depression in the other, which is a good reason to check in on both.

What helps:

• Know the signs. Irritability, pulling away from family, working longer hours, drinking more, or trouble sleeping even when the baby is asleep.
• Say something early. Talk to your partner, a friend, or your doctor. Most health plans, including Marketplace plans, cover depression screening for adults as preventive care at no extra cost from an in-network provider.
• Check in as a couple. Ask each other how you're really doing, and push past surface answers.

"Women's Conditions" That Also Affect Men

Some conditions are so strongly associated with women that men, and sometimes their providers, may overlook the signs.

• Eating disorders and body image: Men can struggle with disordered eating or an unhealthy focus on muscle size and appearance, but these concerns are often missed or brushed aside.
• Osteoporosis: According to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, up to one in four men over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. In men, bone loss often goes undiagnosed until a fracture happens.
• Breast cancer: Men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. It's rare, but because few men expect it, a lump may be ignored until it's further along.

What helps:

• Ask about a bone density test if you've broken a bone after age 50, take long-term steroid medications, or have a family history of osteoporosis.
• Get chest changes checked. A lump, nipple discharge, or skin changes should be looked at, whatever your gender.
• Notice when food or exercise rules start running your day, and bring it up with your doctor.

When the Job Itself Is a Health Risk

Men make up the majority of workers in many physically demanding, higher-risk fields, such as construction, trucking, logging, and roofing. According to the National Safety Council's analysis of federal data, men have accounted for more than 90 percent of fatal workplace injuries every year since 2011.

These jobs also bring less visible risks, like chronic pain and hearing loss, and many offer limited paid sick leave, making it harder to take time off for a checkup or recovery.

If your job is physically demanding, it is important to know how you’re protected if an injury keeps you off work. Workers’ compensation, disability insurance, and supplemental accident coverage can each help in different ways, and we’re happy to help you find and fill any gaps.

What helps:

• Make safety part of your routine. Use the protective equipment required for your job, follow safety procedures, and speak up about unsafe conditions.
• Address symptoms early. Report work-related injuries and symptoms, and tell your doctor about persistent pain, hearing changes, or breathing problems—including what you do at work.
• Know what would help cover time off. Review your sick leave and insurance benefits before you need them. Ask what workers’ compensation, disability insurance, or supplemental accident coverage would pay, when benefits begin, and what limitations apply.

How to Support the Men in Your Life

When men are struggling, the people around them feel it too, from partners and kids to friends and coworkers. A few simple ways to help:

• Be the friend who shows up. Turn "we should get together" into a date on the calendar, then keep it, even when the week gets hectic.
• Ask new dads real questions. "How are you sleeping? How are you doing with all this?"
• Help with the logistics. Offer to drive to an appointment or help book his annual checkup or Medicare Annual Wellness Visit.
• Make it normal to talk about stress, sleep, and mood. Sharing your own struggles makes it easier for others to share theirs.

Sometimes a struggle is more serious. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide or is in emotional crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Looking Out for Each Other

Men's Health Awareness Month is a chance to notice what's easy to miss. A phone call, a thoughtful question, or a doctor's visit can make a bigger difference than you might think.

If you'd like to make sure your coverage supports you and your family, from preventive care to the unexpected, reach out to our office. We're here to help.