The hospital is hosting a Men’s Health Challenge on Tuesday at Harvey’s on Noble. The sports-themed event starts at 5 p.m. with a health fair and pre-game appetizers. Speakers and dinner begin at 6 p.m.
“Thinking it would be hard to get men to come to just get their blood pressure and BMI checked, we put this night together to challenge them,” said Vanessa Green, CVMC chief business development officer. “The challenge being to get them there so they can begin to get baselines on their health. And, of course, the ultimate goal is that we will have a healthier community.”
CVMC physicians will be on hand for consultations and various health screenings will be available including height and weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep, prostate cancer, body mass index, health and fitness levels and rehabilitation.
The guest speakers will be former Auburn University quarterback Stan White and former University of Alabama quarterback Tyler Watts with Jim Dunaway of CBS 42 as host.
Tickets are a $10 donation to the CVMC Foundation and are available at the door or by calling 256-401-4070. Food will be provided by Hickory Street Café.
Green said their decision to emphasize men’s health came after much research and with the help of the Sylacauga Healthcare Authority Board.
“You hear a lot more about women’s health than men’s, so we started doing a lot of research and found that it is true that men ignore their health issues,” Green said. “They’re not as apt to get their annual check-ups as women, and there are some significant issues centered around men that need attention on an annual basis.”
Healthcare Authority Board Chairman Jesse Cleveland said men are the most overlooked part of society when it comes to health.
“Women do a much better job caring for themselves, and they also tend to care for the children,” Cleveland said. “Men ought to be healthier, not only because they are the leaders of the family, but because they play a vital role in the community. Men can and should do a better job.”
CVMC researched statistics showing that men die about five years younger than women, know less about health and are two times less likely than women to get preventative checkups and health screenings.
The top three health issues for men are heart disease, colon cancer and prostate cancer, according to CVMC.
“All three of those can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis, if they just pay some attention to it,” Green said.
The top 10 causes of death in men are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, stroke, lung disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, suicide, kidney disease and Alzheimer’s disease, according to information gathered by CVMC.
Some recommended health screenings for men are a cholesterol check every five years beginning at age 20, a prostate exam beginning at age 50 and a colonoscopy every 10 years beginning at 50.
Routinely checking heart function is also important, as men are at greater risk of heart attacks and disease. Some factors that contribute to heart problems are smoking, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
This information and more will be discussed in depth at the health challenge. Cleveland said he hopes the event encourages men to be proactive about their health.
“The goal is to make men more aware and more sensitive to their need to get themselves better rather than waiting until something happens,” he said. “We have to get men to step up to the plate.”
Contact Emily Adams at eadams@dailyhome.com.
