In an effort to bring men’s health into focus, the Coalition for a Healthier Escambia County and the Escambia County Health Department have partnered to present a workshop this week.
Ruth Harrell, director of the Coalition organization, said men too often neglect their own health. The workshop planned will help bring the importance of healthy lifestyles and care into focus for men, she said.
“Women do a good job with testing and screen for their health,” Harrell said. “Men don’t typically take the time to pay attention to their health. The opportunity to partner with the Health Department is a great chance for us to focus on teaching men how to be more mindful of their health.”
Ricky Elliott, director with the Escambia County Health Department, said the partnership is one he hopes will help stress the importance of health care for men.
“Statewide statistics show that men aren’t doing a good job with their health,” Elliott said. “Alabama has the third highest rate in the nation for prostate cancer deaths. We all know that if prostate cancer is caught early, there is a very good success rate. There are tests that can detect the cancer early, but most men don’t take the time to have those tests done.”
A special program will be presented at D.W. McMillan Hospital’s education center Thursday from noon to 2 p.m., Harrell said.
“We have Dr. Dan Raulerson planned as our keynote speaker,” Harrell said. “We will provide lunch for those who attend and we will have good information to help them make good decisions about their health.”
Elliott said with the lack of attention to a healthy lifestyle and health screenings, women tend to outnumber men over the course of time.
“In this country, there are more male babies born than females,” Elliott said. “But, by the time those babies reach their 60s, the women outnumber the men. We want to change that statistic.”
June is national Men’s Health month and the Escambia County Commission recently approved a proclamation name the week of June 11-15 as Men’s Health Week in the county.
The workshop is being offered free of charge.