Men on average have a shorter life expectancy than women. This is partly due to poor health education and preventative health care undertaken by men. There is also an issue of unhealthy behavior and more dangerous behavior. There is a sense of denial and/or sense of being indestructible that seems to be higher in men than women. Somehow it is not “manly” to be vulnerable and to ask for help. It is not always possible to just “work through the pain or illness”. Men’s Health is important to every male in this country, if not the world. Men owe it to themselves to protect themselves through knowledge, preventative health care to early diagnosis of disease.
We at the Dept of Urology at Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC) are committed to advancing Men’s Health. This mission has also been adopted on a national level by the American Urological Association (AUA) with the Men’s Health Initiative. Dr Thrasher, the Chair of the Dept of Urology at KUMC, is a board member of AUA and as such has been very much involved with this. Dr Nangia, the Clinical Director of Andrology and Men’s Health specialist in our department is also involved in this national mission. The Dept of Urology was instrumental in starting awareness on Men’s Health in State of Kansas, with the Governor of Kansas signing a proclamation for a “Men’s Health Awareness Week” (the week leading up to Father’s Day in June). Other members of the Dept of Urology at KUMC are specialists in different aspects of men’s health: from adolescents; to reproduction; treating testicular cancer; to sexual health as well as male incontinence and male urological cancers such as prostate cancer.
The American Urological Association has created an important check list of important men’s health issues that should be monitored, basically from when a young man becomes an adult. This highlights issues beyond the genito-urinary parts of the body. This also involves heart care, gastro-intestinal care as well as emotional/psychiatric well being e.g. depression and anxiety. Common problems that men suffer from include:
All these issues are important for men to maintain good health and hopefully live a long life. We invite readers to browse the links and contact numbers on our website and hope that they are informative and helpful in answering any concerns you or a loved one has. Specialists in our Dept that deal with these issues are:
Prostate Cancer: Drs Thrasher, Mirza, Duchene and Holzbeierlein
Prostate Health: Drs Weigel, Christenson and Jim Kovarik PA
Erectile Dysfunction Surgery (Penile Prostheses): Drs Nangia and Broghammer
Peyronies Disease/Penile Curvature: Dr Broghammer
Male Incontinence: Drs Weigel, Broghammer, Padmanabhan, Griebling, Christenson and Jim Kovarik PA
Testicular Cancer: Drs Holzbeierlein, Mirza, Thrasher, Duchene, Nangia
Low Testosterone: Drs Nangia and Weigel
Reproduction Problems/Infertility and vasectomy reversal: Dr Nangia
Male Contraception/Vasectomy: Drs Nangia and Weigel