June 15 – 21 is Men’s Health Week, the goal of which is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems (Get More Info) and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men.  In 2005, males had higher age-adjusted death rates for all causes of death than did females (1,106.6 deaths versus 663.4 deaths per 100,000 population).  Males also had higher age-adjusted death rates for selected causes, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, influenza and pneumonia, diabetes mellitus, human immunodeficiency virus, unintentional injury, suicide, and homicide.  When considering sex and race, black males have the lowest life expectancy at birth (69.7 years), followed by white males (75.7 years), black females (76.5 years), and white females (80.6 years).

Population-based approaches are needed to improve men’s access to and use of preventive health services early in their lives.  Ensuring that all men and their families receive services recommended in evidence-based clinical guidelines, such as those available from the National Guideline Clearinghouse, can facilitate early detection and treatment of diseases and other causes of death.

More information about Men’s Health Week is available at http://menshealthmonth.org/week.  CDC’s Men’s Health website can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/men.

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