A men's health survey has uncovered a stark contradiction: while 92% of men would urge a friend to see a doctor, nearly half admit to avoiding medical appointments for identical symptoms themselves. The research, conducted among 2,000 men, found that 40% have intervened when a friend refused to seek help, with 22% doing so multiple times. Yet 47% confessed to postponing their own appointments for the same issues.
Delaying Medical Help
Only 14% of men seek medical assistance as soon as they notice symptoms. Around 40% typically wait weeks before booking a GP appointment, and 52% admit they often wait until symptoms become unbearable. Alarmingly, 23% of those who delayed later discovered their condition was serious.
Common reasons for delaying include hoping the issue would resolve itself (the most cited), feeling it wasn't serious enough, long waiting times (21%), being too busy (18%), and believing they should "tough it out" (18%).
The Well Man Arms Initiative
The research was commissioned by Medichecks, a health test provider, which partnered with former footballer and broadcaster Chris Kamara. They launched the Well Man Arms bar in Nottingham's Trent Navigation Inn, where men can watch football and discuss health openly.
Chris Kamara commented: "Football fans can spend hours debating who's in the starting eleven, but when it comes to their own health, a lot of blokes go completely quiet. Nearly every man would tell a mate to get checked out, but many won't take their own advice. We're brilliant at looking after our mates, but not always so good at looking after ourselves."
Outdated Stereotypes
The survey also revealed that 73% of men believe outdated masculine stereotypes, such as the pressure to remain stoic, prevent them from seeking medical care. However, attitudes are shifting, with only 17% now saying they wouldn't discuss health concerns with friends or family.
Dr. Natasha Fernando, medical director at Medichecks, said: "The disconnect between how men look after others and themselves is striking. The issue isn't lack of awareness but putting health at the bottom of the priority list. Many serious conditions like high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes develop silently, so being proactive is key."
