The survey found that most men (72%) find going to the doctor so unappealing that they would rather do household chores, like cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn– with almost two-thirds (65%) tending to wait as long as possible to see their doctor if they have any health problems or injury.
Even if men do go to a doctor, some will hold back information - with 20% of men admitting they have not been completely honest with their doctor. What keeps them from being completely forthcoming? For most, it is because they are embarrassed (46%), feel uncomfortable (40%) or they don’t want to be told that they need to change their diet or lifestyle (36%).
And, some men may be scared of what they might find out - with 37% of those surveyed admitting they withheld information because, while they knew something was wrong – they were not ready to face the diagnosis and wanted to stay in the dark about any potential health issues.
Of the men who aren’t already seeing their doctor for annual check-ups, 61% would be more likely to do so if seeing the doctor was more convenient- in terms of offering virtual visits, scheduling appointments outside of work hours, and/or getting screened at events they’re already participating in.
Whatever the personal barriers men put up to avoid seeing a doctor – the one thing that keeps men trying to stay healthy and live longer is family and friends who rely on them (82%).
