Statistics show that men are less likely to present themselves for early Covid-19 screening and testing. Picture: Wire Photo

NEWS

Men are notorious for avoiding doctors rooms but during the coronavirus, when more men in the country are dying of the disease than women, today, which is Fathers Day, might be a good time to get real about mens health.

According to Fridays statistics released by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, 903 men have so far succumbed to Covid-19 in the country, as opposed to 832 women and the toll the virus is taking on men is seemingly no different anywhere else in the world.

Experts told City Press that the situation was a cause for concern and necessitated honest, real conversations between health officials and men, as well as among men themselves, particularly since June is Mens Health Month.

Numerous studies overseas have also noted the link between gender and the severity of Covid-19.

For instance, in a study done in Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China (the original epicentre of the pandemic) and published in the British Medical Journal on March 26, of a group of 799 people with the virus, 113 died. Of these, 73% were men.

A bigger study in the New York City area, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA on April 22, analysed the clinical data of 5 700 Covid-19 patients admitted to 12 hospitals in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County in the New York City area between March 1 and April 4.

Its also believed that the extra X-chromosome in women, which is linked to their sex chromosome, oestrogen, may be part of the reason females have a better immune response to Covid-19

Of the collective study group, 60.3% were men, a significant number of whom suffered from comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac illness and kidney disease.

Mortality rates were higher for males at every 10-year age interval after 20.

Experts havent reached consensus on why gender should influence survival rates.

In South Africa, Dr Marion Morkel, chief medical officer at Sanlam, said: It would appear that the hormone testosterone does influence the severity of the disease.

The irony is that thereve been two schools of thought on how it does so: some researchers have postulated that where theres a lowered level of testosterone in men, we see a lowered immune response, so they tend to get a more severe viral load.

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"However, a very high level of testosterone has also been shown to influence the severity of disease, as it appears to cause an over-response of the immune system. Scientists arent sure whether one has a greater influence over the other.

Its also believed that the extra X-chromosome in women, which is linked to their sex chromosome, oestrogen, may be part of the reason females have a better immune response to Covid-19.

However, theres also a notion that males risk-seeking behaviour is slightly different from that of females.

This is more pronounced in the Northern Hemisphere, so when social distancing started being put into place in those countries, more males than females pushed the boundaries of the restrictions, thus exposing themselves to the virus more often.

In addition, said Morkel, men were more likely to have chronic lifestyle illnesses such as ischaemic heart disease and diabetes, among other comorbidities.

Further to that, men were less likely to present themselves for early screening and testing.

In fact, a 2019 Cleveland Clinic survey of 1 174 American men found that 65% of them would wait as long as possible to seek medical help if they had a health issue or injury, while 72% said theyd rather do unpleasant household chores like cleaning the toilet or mowing the lawn than consult a doctor.

Men also often dont deal with issues of sensitivity readily. Theyll talk about all manner of other subjects, but not about things that are uncomfortable and make them feel vulnerable, such as illness, disability or death

Explaining why men were seemingly so doctor-averse, psychiatrist Dr Ian Westmore said many males were culturally conditioned to take up the traditional masculine role of appearing emotionally and physically stable and strong to their own detriment.

Theres this idea of the superhero syndrome in [many cultures] where men keep up a macho expectation of being the strong ones, the providers whore always in control.

Theyre programmed to be like that from a young age, so perhaps going to a doctor implies a sort of vulnerability, making them feel quite exposed. They want to hide that for as long as possible. Theres also a fear of what if the doctor does find something wrong?, so theyll often sit with a problem for a long time [before seeking help].

Westmore added that male attitudes towards seeking healthcare was a problem which needed to be addressed.

Men also often dont deal with issues of sensitivity readily. Theyll talk about all manner of other subjects, but not about things that are uncomfortable and make them feel vulnerable, such as illness, disability or death.

Having Covid-19 is one of those red lights that need to go on. If you sit on your symptoms and dont go to the doctor, not only are you putting other people in danger, but your own condition could get much worse, [especially] if you have other underlying health issues, he said

Health Journalist

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The belief that 'real men don't see doctors' may be why fewer women succumb to Covid | Citypress - News24

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