Heart to Heart… and other body parts

Happy not-so-new month! Welcome back to this little chat spot. I am really glad you are here. So, let’s get to it, shall we?
June is Men’s Health Month, a global call to action to raise awareness about men’s unique health challenges and the deadly silence that often surrounds them.
Worldwide, men are dying at younger ages and dealing with more health issues than women, often from largely preventable causes. And I’m not just referring to colds or stomach problems, I mean heart disease, suicide, cancer, and other chronic conditions that remain undiagnosed or untreated until it’s too late. 
Ask yourself this:
How often do men talk about being depressed? When was the last time you heard a man mention a routine prostate screening? Do you know your HIV status?
Too often, the answer is loud silence.
Men often postpone checkups, evade mental health services, and typically seek hospital care only when symptoms can no longer be ignored. That silence? It’s a public health crisis.

Let’s Talk Numbers….
• According to the World Health Organization (2022), men live an average of 5 years less than women.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, adult men are 40% less likely to test for HIV compared to women, and more likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses due to late diagnosis and poor retention in care (UNAIDS, 2023).
• A study in Western Kenya showed that only 28% of men had outpatient visits in the past year compared to 39% of women (MOH Kenya, 2022).
• Globally, men are twice as likely to die from cardiovascular diseases and make up over 75% of all suicide deaths (WHO, 2021).
These are not just numbers. They reflect how health systems, social norms, and masculinity myths intersect to keep men from seeking help when they need it most.

The “Strong Man” Script
For many men, the body isn’t just biology; it’s performance. From a young age, boys are told to “tough it out,” never show weakness, and always keep going.
By adulthood, this conditioning runs deep. Seeking medical help is seen not as a strength, but as surrender. Especially when it comes to mental health, the stigma is thick: depression is dismissed as moodiness, anxiety as weakness.
In my opinion, many of the barriers men face when accessing healthcare are rooted in harmful gender stereotypes. The pressure to embody strength always creates a culture of isolation and silence.
When men internalize the belief that they must bear pain alone, the outcome is not resilience; it’s unaddressed trauma and untreated illness.
• High blood pressure goes unnoticed.
• Depression is masked as anger, alcohol use, or withdrawal.
• Burnout is dismissed as “just stress” until it becomes a complete breakdown.
Avoiding healthcare doesn’t just impact men; it also affects their partners, children, workplaces, and communities. We all bear the consequences.

What Can We Do Differently?
We need to reframe the conversation around masculinity and health.
• Normalize regular check-ups. Prevention is not a luxury;  it’s life-saving.
• Encourage open conversations between men, families, and health workers.
• Increase the visibility of male-focused health campaigns to counter the perception that health systems are only for women and children.
Behind many “unavoidable” illnesses are unspoken mental and emotional struggles — anxiety, burnout, trauma, and depression that go unnoticed.
This post is also a preview of my next blog post, where I will focus intensely on men’s mental health and why it remains a silent killer, so y’all be on the lookout for that one.
To initiate that conversation, I’ve developed a brief, anonymous questionnaire for men to consider their health habits and experiences. https://forms.gle/cZC6VYfLKvvcAbLk7
I would love for every man reading this to participate and for others to share it with the men in their lives.

Final Thoughts
If you’re a man reading this: When was your last check-up? If you love a man, have you asked him how he’s doing lately?
Because caring isn’t just about being there when he’s sick, it’s about helping him stay well in the first place.
This Men’s Health Month, let’s check in, talk louder, and show up.
If you liked this post, share it with your friends and family. Drop a comment and tell me what resonated with you.

Until our next Heart to Heart conversation…

References:
• World Health Organization. (2022). World Health Statistics 2022. WHO.
• UNAIDS. (2023). Global AIDS Update.
• Ministry of Health, Kenya. (2022). Gender Differences in Health Access.
• WHO. (2021). Mental Health Atlas.