1. FACT · In the U.S., men live, on average, about seven years less than women. Part of this life span difference is due to the fact that men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year, and are 22 percent more likely to have neglected their cholesterol tests. Influencing the male mind is undoubtedly a curious pursuit, particularly when it comes to one's health. "My past experience in the emergency room taught me that there's a tendency for men to deny their symptoms," says Dr. Arthur Puff, a board-certified emergency physician and a medical director at UnitedHealthcare, and an expert on men's health issues and treatment. "It's common for men to ignore things-what you might call the John Wayne syndrome. After a certain point, many men believe that a doctor won't help them, and they grow comfortable with living in denial. They feel safer there. Men have an awareness of problems, but also a tendency to put off seeking advice and treatment about them. In some way, seeking help makes them feel less self-reliant, perhaps even less masculine, and it is best characterized by the story of men not asking for directions when they get lost while driving."
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