Men are notoriously bad at taking care of themselves, and the statistics speak for themselves. Men die, on average, 4.4 years earlier than women. For Men’s Health Week 2021, a digital health clinic for men, Numan conducted research looking at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their health and well-being.Here’s what the study found.
Men have been neglecting their health during the pandemic
- 40% of men last had an appointment with a doctor over a year ago.
- 10% of men can’t remember the last time they saw a doctor.
Nearly 70% of men have no real idea about what’s going on in their bodies
- 40% of men last had a blood test or health screening over a year ago.
- 17% can’t remember when they last had one.
- 9% of men have never had a health screening.
Professor Sam Shah, chief medical strategy officer at Numan, said: ‘While men not booking doctor’s appointments is not a new phenomenon, the COVID-19 pandemic has particularly impacted people’s confidence in seeking medical help when they need it. It’s now more important than ever that we take care of our health and well-being, and at Numan, we want to do all we can to play a role in making healthcare more accessible via new technology and digital consultations.’
Despite men not going to the doctor as much as they should, they’re still worried about their health. 22% of men said their biggest health concern is their weight, while other responses included ageing, chronic pain, smoking, cancer, waiting for operations, tiredness, and urinary problems.
The good news is that men are aware of what negatively impacts them, and are taking steps to improve their health and well-being. Other factors that negatively impacted men included COVID-19 restrictions, politics that came up – a lot – as well as ageing, lack of sleep, mental health, and financial worries.
Men also quoted sleep, spirituality, sunshine, travel, dog walking, and taking time off work as what positively impacted their health and well-being the most.
Men have been adversely affected by the pandemic
- 65% of men said that the pandemic has adversely affected their health and well-being.
- 32% agreed that it has impacted both their physical and mental health.
- 38% of men said that they had experienced burnout since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Professor Sam Shah, added: ‘If you think you might be experiencing burnout, it’s important to address it, as well as the underlying cause. If it’s impacting your day-to-day performance at work, speak with your manager about taking some time off to recuperate. Focus on getting into a regular sleep routine, spend time with loved ones, and try to take some time to focus on hobbies and interests.’
Men have more negative than positive feelings about the future after COVID-19. Feelings about a post-pandemic world are fairly mixed, however, there was one most common answer. 36% of men feel mostly anxious. This was followed by feelings of ambivalence and relief, and other answers included feeling excited, scared, fed up, cautious, optimistic, no feelings, and trash.
