British men die four to six years younger than women on average, according to government figures ( statistics for New Zealand men are similar ). Alongside being more likely to have jobs in construction or the military, and having what scientists call the “biological destiny” – which results in more risk-taking behaviour – men simply don’t like going to the doctor . A British Medical Journal report earlier this year revealed that men are 32 per cent less likely to see their GPs than women are.
“The main difference between men and women is that women present earlier and get better outcomes, whereas men let things fester and get worse,” says GP Dr Niaz Khan, chief clinical officer for primary care at HCA Healthcare. One reason for this is “macho” culture, where men dislike being seen seeking help, says Dr Eve Wijayanayagam, a GP who practises at the Sarum Road Hospital, Winchester. “It’s also because women are simply more used to tests and scans earlier in their lives, with smear tests starting in our early twenties.
Most men have no reason to see the doctor until they find out something is wrong later in life, or are invited to an over-40s health check by their GP.” And yet, men are 50 per cent more likely than women to die of heart disease, according to the Harvard Review . “Medical risks, such as poorly treated high blood pressure or unfavourable cholesterol levels, may contribute to this,” said the report.
Men are also more prone to “central obe.
