June is Men’s Health Month and is a time to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men. Pella Regional is reminding the public that regular exams and screenings can reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic disease.

Men are half as likely as women to go to the doctor in a two-year period and twice as likely to admit to never seeing a doctor in their adult lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult males should have regular checkups because they are at risk for diseases which are often asymptomatic which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even diabetes. It is important that men are screened appropriately based on risks including being overweight, family history or other comorbid conditions.

Prevention starts by seeing a health care provider on a regular basis. Establishing baselines for risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and monitoring how those risk factors change over time will assist the provider in catching potentially dangerous conditions early, when they’re still treatable.

To schedule an annual exam at any of our medical clinics in Pella, Knoxville, Ottumwa, Prairie City, Sully or Bussey, please visit https://www.pellahealth.org/request-an-appointment/. Those enrolled in the MyPellaHealth Patient Portal can also schedule an appointment through self-scheduling.