PHMC Household Health Survey Finds Eight Percent Of Men Didn't See A Physician In The Past Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE

June 10, 2014

Contact: Veronica Mikitka Reed, For PHMC, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 215.434.7194

Data highlights that men in Southeastern Pennsylvania can make lifestyle changes to improve their overall quality of health and longevity

PHILADELPHIA—More than eight percent (8.2%) of men (ages 18-64) in Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA) didn't see a physician in the past year, according to data from the 2012 Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Health Survey, a survey conducted by Public Health Management Corporation's (PHMC's) Center for Data Innovation. The percent of men not visiting a physician is 2.9 percent more than women (5.3%).

This June, we celebrate Men's Health Week and Month, a Congressional health education program working to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. The findings on men's health in SEPA reflect national trends. In many ways, men face additional health risks when compared with women. The data also shows that men may be able to make lifestyle changes that will improve their overall quality of health and longevity.

The SEPA Household Health Survey data below showcases a few reasons why men (ages 18-64) in Southeastern Pennsylvania need to focus on their health choices and behaviors by accessing care in order to prevent unnecessary health problems.

The Health Status of Men in Southeastern Pennsylvania:

Men's Health Behaviors versus Women's

  • Eight percent (8.2%) of men did not see a physician in the past year, compared to 5.3% of women.
  • In Southeastern Pennsylvania (SEPA), men ages 18-64 are more likely to be uninsured than women the same age (7.1% compared to 5.3%), and may face additional barriers to health care for this reason.
  • SEPA men are more likely than women to engage in behaviors which negatively impact health.
  • Men are more likely to smoke cigarettes than women (20.8% versus 16.2%, respectively), and are less likely than women to have tried to quit smoking in the past year (53.0% versus 60.4%, respectively).

On a regional level, PHMC's Research & Evaluation Group along with affiliate Health Promotion Council worked to create educational materials to help black men with hypertension and diabetes change behaviors and better manage their disease. The project, Black Men in HD, created culturally appropriate and relevant materials based on research-based studies and focus group feedback from men suffering from hypertension and diabetes in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

The following Black Male health risks supported the need for these materials:

  • Black men have special risks regarding diabetes:
    - They are nearly twice as likely as white men to be diagnosed with diabetes.
    - They have the highest rate of kidney failure because of diabetes compared to other groups (white, Hispanic, Asian or female).
    - In the US, there are almost 5 million black American adults who have diabetes
    - Blacks are twice as more likely to lose a foot or a leg (due to amputation) because of diabetes compared to whites.
  • Black men have special risks regarding high blood pressure:
    - About four out of 10 black adults in the US have high blood pressure (one of the highest rates among all ethnic groups).
    - They have higher blood pressure compared to Hispanic and white men.
    - One out of two black men who have hypertension do not take medication.

The Household Health Survey is conducted by telephone and includes 10,000 households in the SEPA region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties). For more information about these findings, contact Lisa Kleiner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About Public Health Management Corporation Center for Data Innovation
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. The Center for Data Innovation includes the Community Health Data Base (CHDB) and its Household Health Survey, one of the largest regional health surveys in the country. The Pew Charitable Trusts, William Penn Foundation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, United Way of North Penn, Green Tree Community Health Foundation, North Penn Community Health Foundation, Thomas Scattergood Foundation, Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation and over 350 local agencies from the health, government, nonprofit and academic sectors, help to support the CHDB and survey. For more information visit www.phmc.org.

Health Promotion Council
Health Promotion Council of Southeastern Pennsylvania (HPC) is a non-profit corporation organized in 1981. HPC affiliated with Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a leading public health institute, in 1999. HPC's mission is to promote health, and prevent and manage chronic disease, especially among vulnerable populations, through community-based outreach, education and advocacy. Its unique programs advocating positive health behaviors, together with its innovative work with minority groups have advanced the field of health promotion in Southeastern Pennsylvania and across the nation. For more information, visit www.hpcpa.org.