ARE YOU A
WEEKEND WARRIOR?
STAY INJURY-FREE WITH
THESE EXPERT TIPS
See page 4 for details.
Be a
Health
Hero Conquer the basics
to living a long, healthy life
S P E C I A L
MEN’S
HEALTH
ISSUE
WWW.UNCMEDICALCENTER.ORG
wellAn alternative to open
heart surgery PAGE 6
What keeps men out
of the doctor’s office?
PAGE 8
Your cheat sheet for
needed screenings
PAGE 14
LEADING. TEACHING. CARING. FALL 2 016
On the Cover: Photo by Thinkstock
Well is published four times annually by UNC Health Care. Copyright 2016 © UNC Health Care.
Information in Well comes from a wide range of medical experts and is not intended to treat or diagnose any
individual situation. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health,
please contact your health care provider.
Send correspondence and address changes via: e-mail,
publications@unchealth.unc.edu; mail, Well, Public Affairs and Marketing,
James T. Hedrick Building, 211 Friday Center Drive, Suite G021, Chapel
Hill, NC 27517; phone, (919) 784-2266; Web, www.uncmedicalcenter.org.
Responding
to Your Needs
THE ISSUE YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS is devoted to the health con-cerns
affecting men and the preventive measures that allow for a vibrant life.
In these pages, we take a look at health concerns that tend to affect men
more than women and what you or your loved ones can do to minimize
your risk.
We also discuss the importance of having a primary care provider and hav-ing
regular wellness exams in our cover story starting on page 8. Statistically,
men are more likely than women to seek medical care only after a health issue
has become evident, rather than getting regular, preventive care. To address
this disparity, physicians across specialties at UNC Health Care are working
together to create a Men’s Health Program, and we are pleased to share infor-mation
about it on page 12.
Finally, we are adjusting our format to align with the way most people
choose to find information about health care and their providers. As more of
us turn to the internet as a main resource, we are shifting to a digital format
instead of printing Well magazine. With many changes to come, please look
to www.unchealthcare.org for more of the patient stories and health and
wellness information you have come to expect from Well.
Please feel free to contact us at publications@unchealth.unc.edu to
share your thoughts about this transition and to let us know what kind of
information you would like to see on our website. Also, if you are interested in
receiving an e-newsletter, please let us know that as well.
Kind regards,
Well editorial team
UNC Health Care
Keep the Comments Coming!
Let us know what you think of Well magazine.
Send your comments or questions to Jennifer Breedlove
at publications@unchealth.unc.edu.
2 Fall 2016 Well
well FALL 2016
FEATURES
4 Ouch, I’m a
Weekend Warrior
Going “all out” on Saturdays and
Sundays might do you more harm
than good.
6 A Fix for AFib
A groundbreaking device brings relief
to heart patients.
8 Set
Your Path
Why (and how)
men should control
their own health.
12 On
Your Team
Get a helping hand
for cancer care and
beyond.
14Men: Take
Screening Seriously
Our helpful chart tells you exactly
when it’s time to get screened for what.
DEPARTMENTS
3 UNC Health Care News
Regain strength faster after a heart
attack with cardiac rehab. New fathers
can get tips from veteran dads. Single
fathers due to cancer now have a
support group.
PERSPECTIVES
Boot Camp
for New Dads
First-time dads may have many ques-tions
and concerns as they support
moms-to-be through pregnancy
and birthing classes. Boot Camp for
New Dads is one of the most popular
classes at the Women’s Center, and
it’s just for men. New dads-to-be
meet with our “veteran dads” and
their newborns to learn tips and
strategies and to gain advice
about how to be a great father.
Topics include diaper changing,
how to handle a crying baby,
finances, taking care of mom
and much more.
Registration is required. For
more information or to register, visit
www.nchealthywoman.org or call
(984) 974-8882. Fee: $25 per dad.
UNC Cardiac
Rehabilitation
Program
Patients who have had heart surgery or a heart attack benefit
greatly from participating in cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Physician-supervised cardiac rehabilitation can help patients
gain strength, enjoy a more active lifestyle and better learn to
manage risk factors for heart disease.
Cardiac Rehabilitation at UNC is a multidisciplinary pro-gram
offered at the UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont
and is certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular
and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. The program includes medi-cally
supervised exercise as part of an individualized care
plan approved by the program’s medical director. Patients
also receive dietary counseling, psychological and vocational
support, and ongoing health education classes.
Certified clinical exercise specialists are always in atten-dance,
as are nurses trained in advanced cardiac life support.
A UNC cardiologist is present during all rehab sessions as well.
All participants must be referred by a physician.
For more information, call the UNC Wellness Center at
(919) 843-2158.
Single Fathers
Due to Cancer
Men who have dependent children and whose spouses or partners
died from cancer are an overlooked population. The Single Fathers
Due to Cancer program offers support, information and resources
to fathers as they adjust to being sole parents and work through
their grief and that of their children.
This program is the first of its kind in the United States
and grew out of UNC doctors’ work with young mothers
who were dying of cancer and their families. During coun-seling
sessions, mothers expressed concerns about how
their husbands and children were coping with their terminal illnesses
and would adjust after their deaths.
The monthly support group is free and open to any single father due
to cancer. Registration is required. The group meets the third Tuesday
of every month at 6 p.m. at Carolina Pointe II. Fathers are welcome to
bring their children, who will be supervised in a separate room and
provided pizza, drinks and activities. To register, call (984) 974-8113.
For more information, visit www.singlefathersduetocancer.org or
email singlefathersduetocancer@unc.edu.
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 3
UNC HEALTH CARE NEWS
I’m a Weekend Ouch,
PHOTOS: THINKSTOCK
W RRIOR Going “all out” on Saturdays and
Sundays might do more harm than good.
BY DUSTIN BUTTARS
4 Fall 2016 Well
IT’S SATURDAY MORNING! You wake up,
ready to tackle the big day you have planned. A
little basketball at 9 a.m., maybe some football
later in the day, then a run perhaps and a hard
weight-training session to top it off. Sunday
comes and maybe you have some energy for
another run or racquetball, a 5K race or other
event. There’s no time to exercise during the
week, so you fit it all in on the weekend. You
want to stay in shape, after all.
By Monday, fatigue and soreness have set in and you can
barely move. You’ve heard that rest is crucial for recovery,
so you do exactly that Monday through Friday. Perfect!
Five days of rest should be sufficient for another wonderfully
brutal weekend.
Does some version of this sound like you?
I admire your tenacity, but I’m already feeling sorry for
you. This is a recipe for disaster and it often leads to debili-tating
injury. Welcome to weekend warrior syndrome.
Who Are Weekend Warriors?
Weekend warrior syndrome is common among people with
families, jobs, children or other responsibilities that take
priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate inten-sity
physical activity per week. Weekend warriors typically
reach this amount over a one- or two-day period, rather than
being active throughout the week.
Same-Day Orthopaedic Care
Even athletes at peak fitness can get hurt, but not
every injury requires a trip to the emergency depart-ment.
OrthoNow Urgent Care offers same-day ortho-paedic
visits for acute sprains and strains, joint pain,
sports injuries and possible fractures.
UNC Orthopaedic Clinic
at Carolina Pointe II
6011 Farrington Road, Suite 201
Chapel Hill, NC
(919) 843-4711
Hours:
Monday–Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Get Your Workouts Here
UNC Wellness Centers provide the resources
needed to help you reach your health and
wellness goals. Whether your goal is weight
loss, strength training, rehabilitation or gen-eral
conditioning, our programs and staff are
here to provide safe, effective workouts in an
exceptional environment.
UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont
100 Sprunt St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
(919) 966-5500
UNC Wellness Center at Northwest Cary
350 Stonecroft Lane
Cary, NC 27519
(919) 957-5900
DUSTIN BUTTARS, FITNESS DIRECTOR OF UNC WELLNESS CENTER,
discusses a common practice that puts many at risk of injury: going all out on the week-ends
after not exercising all week. He also offers some tips for how to make simple
changes to your weekly routine to prepare your body for your weekend fun—injury-free.
So what’s the problem?
While any exercise is better than none, weekend warriors
are at higher risk of acute injuries such as sprains and strains.
Each day, more than 10,000 Americans visit emergency
departments for sports and exercise-related injuries, accord-ing
to the CDC. These injuries can linger for days or weeks,
reducing your ability to be active.
How to Work Out Smarter
Add a few short exercise bouts one or two times during the
week at least. These mini-workouts can be sufficient to miti-gate
the risk of injury for your busy weekends.
To fit in small sessions during the week, you could hit
a gym on your way to or from work. It’s also possible to
squeeze in bursts of activity at home. It doesn’t need to be
much. Try a 20-minute run or interval session around the
block, multiple laps up and down the stairs or a few strength-training
exercises using your own body weight.
It’s hard, I know, giving up weekday relaxation for a jog
or body-weight training session, but you’ll thank me in the
end. Even a half-hour of body-weight training such as push-ups,
pullups, squats, lateral lunges and planks will keep your
metabolism revving, your muscles primed for activity and
your joints healthier. All of these benefits should allow you
to go just a little harder, run a little faster and jump a little
higher through the weekend. It may be just the edge you
need to not only win a game but also finish one without
being injured.
{ {
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 5
BY SCOTT HARRIS
That’s exactly what happened to Walton. Two serious
internal bleeds threatened his life in 2014, and various spe-cialists
around the state were unable to locate the source of
the bleeding.
Then a visit to cardiologists at UNC Health Care later
that year rendered the search irrelevant. Thanks to their
action and a groundbreaking new piece of tech nology,
Walton says he feels better now than he has in nearly
20 years.
“They found everything that was wrong with me,” Walton
recalls. “Now I can go up the stairs. … You have a life again.”
Inside the Innovative Treatment
The solution that worked for Walton was the Watchman™
procedure, which involves inserting a tiny device that keeps
blood clots from spreading throughout the body.
FA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the
technology in 2015, and it is available for patients like
Walton at UNC Health Care.
“We know patients with atrial fibrillation can have strokes,
and we know we can make the risk go away with anti-coagulants,
but some people shouldn’t
take anticoagulants because of the risk of
internal bleeding, or a high risk of falls
with bleeding from the trauma,” says
J. Paul Mounsey, BM BCh, PhD, FRCP,
FACC, a cardiologist and director of elec-trophysiology
at UNC Hospitals Heart
and Vascular Center at Meadowmont in
Chapel Hill. “Before now, the options
were either to use only aspirin as a blood
thinner, which is only minimally effective
x i
for { {AFib
A groundbreaking
device brings relief
to heart patients.
FOR A LONG TIME, WALTON PARKER WAS SO EXHAUSTED he could barely walk up the stairs.
“I could only take one step at a time,” the now 78-year-old explains. “I had no energy to do anything.
I stopped playing golf.” ¶ The cause of Walton’s problems? Atrial f ibrillation, called “AFib” for short. It’s
an irregular heartbeat that can raise the risk of heart failure, stroke and other problems. AFib frequently
causes blood clots in the heart, which can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious blockages.
Doctors typically prescribe anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medications to address the clotting, but there’s
a downside: an increased risk of massive bleeding.
J. Paul Mounsey,
BM BCh
PHOTO: PAUL BRALY
OF TARHEEL IMAGES
6 Fall 2016 Well
Key Heart and Vascular Information
for Men
1 in 4
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the
United States and is responsible for one of every four male
deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
½
Half of all men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease
had no previous symptoms, CDC data shows.
1x/year
Don’t wait for an emergency to take care of your heart: Visit
your doctor annually, try to minimize sodium intake, and get
plenty of exercise.
The UNC Center for Heart and Vascular Care offers a full
range of treatments for heart disease. To learn more, go to
www.uncmedicalcenter.org and search “Heart and Vascular.”
in atrial fibrillation, or open-heart
surgery. With the Watchman tech-nology,
we have another option.”
During the procedure, doctors
insert a catheter into a vein in the
leg, then move the catheter to the
heart, where the Watchman device is
opened like an umbrella. It is perma-nently
implanted in the heart’s left
atrial appendage, where it acts as a
barrier to blood.
“Over a few weeks, it becomes incorporated into the
body,” Dr. Mounsey says of the device. “The body tries to
wall it off by laying down scar tissue, and that forms a wall
and helps create a block.”
The procedure lasts about an hour and requires just one
night in the hospital.
According to Dr. Mounsey and James Hummel, MD,
a Meadowmont cardiologist who served as Walton’s main
physician during the process, risks of internal bleed-ing
associated with the procedure are as low as 2 per-cent.
There is a chance the device can become dislodged
during the procedure, but that risk is “very tiny” and
the device can be recovered,
Dr. Mounsey says.
Patients usually take blood
thinners for four to six weeks
after the procedure but typi-cally
discontinue the medica-tions
after that.
A Win for Walton and Others
“He did great,” Dr. Hummel says of Walton. “He’s only on
aspirin now. He’s mobile, and he feels much better.”
Many AFib patients could be ideal candidates for the
Watchman procedure, Dr. Mounsey says. Anyone with atrial
fibrillation not related to heart valve disease and who is
seeking alternatives to blood thinners may be eligible for
the new technology.
“It’s a treatment modality that should be made available
to quite a large number of patients with atrial fibrillation,”
Dr. Mounsey says.
Walton is certainly glad it was a fit for his case.
“Oh, my gracious,” Walton says. “Every [UNC Health
Care] doctor I’ve seen, every procedure has sure worked for
me. I’m a lucky man, I surely am.”
Is It Right
for You?
To learn more about the
Watchman procedure,
visit www.uncmedical
center.org/watchman.
James
Hummel, MD
IMAGE COURTESY OF BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
The Watchman™ device, which
keeps blood clots from spreading
throughout the body, was
approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration in 2015.
PHOTO: PAUL BRALY
OF TARHEEL IMAGES
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 7
Find a Primary
Care Physician
UNC Health Care can help.
The online Find a Doctor
tool lets you search by loca-tion,
language and gender.
To access Find a Doctor, visit
findadoc.unchealthcare.org
or call UNC HealthLink at
(919) 966-7890.
8 Fall 2016 Well
Why (and how) men should
control their own health
DURING THE PAST 15 YEARS,
Edmund Liles Jr., MD, has treated
thousands of men as an internist with
UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, and he
has seen firsthand the problems and
behaviors that affect men and their
health. For many men, it’s tempting to
ignore general health advice, such as
healthy eating and getting adequate exercise.
Dr. Liles knows how it is. After all, he
was a man long before he was an MD.
“I’m guilty,” he admits. “When the kids are
in bed, I love nothing more than a snack
and some TV time.”
Perhaps more so than diet and exercise,
one of the riskiest behaviors for men is the
reluctance to go to the doctor until pain
or discomfort forces their hand. Dr. Liles
understands this firsthand, too.
“I didn’t see a doctor until I had to get a physical to go to col-lege,”
he recalls, “and I didn’t do it again until I turned 40.”
Statistically speaking, Dr. Liles’ experience is typical. Men are
24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within
the past year and 22 percent more likely to neglect cholesterol tests,
according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Equally clear are the heightened health risks men face as a result.
The same federal statistics show that men are 28 percent more likely
than women to be admitted to a hospital for congestive heart fail-ure,
32 percent more likely to be hospitalized for long-term diabetes
complications, and 24 percent more likely to be hospitalized >
Set Path BY
SCOTT
HARRIS
Edmund Liles Jr.,
MD
PHOTO: PAUL BRALY
OF TARHEEL IMAGES
Your
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 9
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
for pneumonia that could have been
prevented by a simple immunization.
Not seeing a doctor can lead to
delayed diagnosis of chronic dis-eases
like diabetes and heart disease,
according to Mark Gwynne, DO,
family physician at UNC Family
Medicine and senior medical direc-tor
for Primary Care, UNC Health
Alliance. “Men may not want to know if there’s something
wrong, but the longer you go without a diagnosis, the more
damage there is inside the body.”
Your Health Needs Regular Maintenance
Health care is undergoing a sea change. Preventing prob-lems
before they start—instead of reacting to them after
they arise—is the order of the day. Prevention, proponents
say, not only improves well-being but also reduces health
care costs for the system and, ultimately, patients.
As it stands, though, many men are behind the preven-tion
curve because they don’t have a regular primary care
physician (PCP). A 2014 study by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 21 percent of
men did not have a usual place of care, compared with
13 percent of women.
“A long-term relationship allows me to ask more sensi-tive
questions,” Dr. Gwynne says. “That benefit is impor-tant.
Men will come in with pain, like a pain in the knee,
but there could be another underlying issue that needs to
be discussed.”
Two Reasons Men Stay Away
It may be uncomfortable to acknowledge, but there is an
800-pound gorilla in this discussion: procedures such as pros-tate
and testicular exams.
Drs. Gwynne and Liles agree that wariness over these
exams steers many men clear of the doctor’s office. “Without
a doubt, that is part of it,” Dr. Liles says. “Some stereotypes do
have some basis in truth. It’s not as much a part of the social
mores for men.”
Yes, invasive exams are important and should eventually
be done. As unsettling as they may be for the patient, these
kinds of tests are key tools in detecting cancer and other
health issues. However, for the reluctant among us, there is
good news. Dr. Liles offers the reminder that a patient has the
final say in his own care.
“Invasive exams don’t have to happen on the first visit
with a new physician,” Dr. Liles says. “Take the first step, go
to your appointment, discuss your health issues, make plans.
“A long-term relationship [with a
patient] allows me to ask more sensitive
questions. ... Men will come in with pain,
like a pain in the knee, but there could be
another underlying issue that needs to
be discussed.”
Preventing health
problems improves
your well-being and
can reduce health
care costs.
Mark Gwynne, DO
–Mark Gwynne, DO
PHOTO: BRIAN STRICKLAND
10 Fall 2016 Well
A Family History How-To
To a doctor, family histories are a treasure trove of
information, especially once a man reaches age 40.
Knowing whether a relative had heart disease, dia-betes
or a certain type of cancer, for instance, can
change the age when screenings begin.
How, exactly, do you get a family history, and
what should it contain?
Start by getting as much detail from as many
immediate family members as possible.
“If you can, know what’s going on with all your
first-degree relatives [parents, siblings and children],”
says Edmund Liles Jr., MD. “Know what medications
they’re taking. It’s a clue into what’s going on with
them. If they passed away, find out why.”
If family members are easily accessible, casual
conversations can be a great tool for grabbing
valuable insights. “Talk to parents about what hap-pened
to their parents,” Dr. Liles says. If possible,
expand the search beyond immediate family. “Aunts
and uncles are important, too,” Dr. Gwynne says.
“Talk to them about diagnoses they may have.
What age did they have a given disease?”
Just because a family member had a disease
does not mean you will have it, too, but a family his-tory
will help your doctor identify any increased
risk factors you may have. Armed with that infor-mation,
your doctor can help you minimize your risk
factors and screen appropriately for early signs of
disease to help you stay as healthy as possible for
as long as possible.
Track Your
Family History Here
My Family Health Portrait is a tool from the
U.S. surgeon general that makes it easy to record
your family health history online. Answer a few simple
questions to assemble a family tree, then download,
share with family members or send to your physician.
Check it out at www.familyhistory.hhs.gov.
You don’t have to do everything the first visit.” It’s more
important that you establish a PCP and begin regular, basic
wellness visits.
Never Too Early
Although having a doctor becomes more important with
age, even supposedly healthy periods of life can benefit
from a strong physician-patient relationship.
“There are significant life changes even in your 20s,”
Dr. Gwynne says. “You’re into the workforce, and there
are stressors about that and living on your own. Alcohol
use, depression and anxiety can show themselves. There are
sexual practices to consider and still vaccinations to get.”
As the years tick by, other health needs emerge. Blood
pressure and cholesterol monitoring ramp up, and cancer
screenings should begin. However, amid growing careers
and families, the basics of health care can go neglected.
“Men tend to get busy and forget about things like flu
shots,” Dr. Gwynne says. (Flu vaccinations are associated
with a 71 percent reduction in flu-related hospitalizations
among adults, CDC data shows.) “Blood pressure may start
to creep up without you noticing, and cholesterol and oral
health can be forgotten.”
The 50s, Dr. Gwynne says, are typically the “magic age”
for health care engagement, as pain and other persistent
problems tend to spur even the most hesitant patients into
the system. Men who enter this period with a firmly estab-lished
physician relationship are ahead of the game. A phy-sician
already knows the patient, and years of preventive
care provide a medical history that makes it easier to spot
changes or developing concerns early when many are easier
to treat.
“The more you go,” Dr. Liles says, “the more you’re set-ting
yourself up for success.”
What to Do Outside the Doctor’s Office
Improving health, of course, goes far beyond the waiting
room walls. The most important person in the equation is
the patient. Fortunately, men can take a number of steps to
better manage their own health.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that good health begins
with diet and exercise. That said, daily kale smoothies and
weekly half-marathons aren’t for everyone. The key is finding
good habits that stick over the long term.
“Don’t join a gym if you don’t think you’ll take advantage
of it,” Dr. Liles advises. “Find something that fits into your
life, like a walk around the neighborhood. Be honest about
what’s an actual, realistic goal.”
When it comes to exercise, plenty of men judge fitness
by physical strength, but cardio workouts are more impor-tant
for internal health. “Weightlifting is good for strength,”
Dr. Gwynne says, “but it’s not so great for preventing chronic
diseases if you don’t do some aerobic exercise as well.”
A hidden pitfall on the nutrition side is sugary drinks—
and not just soda. Dr. Gwynne warns that sports drinks and
other common beverages are equally bad choices. “Sweet tea
is on everyone’s menu in the South, and all of these drinks
pack a big calorie hit with little, if any, nutritional value.”
To find out what you are really putting into your body,
keeping a log, even for a day, can be eye-opening. “If you bite
it, write it,” Dr. Liles suggests. “Take one day and write down
everything you eat. People are always surprised by how much
snacking they do or how much they eat at night.”
Remember, it’s never too early to adopt healthy habits,
but it’s certainly never too late.
“If you’re in middle age, you still have another half to
go,” Dr. Liles says. “It’s time to start taking care of yourself.
It’s about taking the small steps, but you have to take that
first step.”
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 11
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK
TEAM
Get a
helping
hand for
cancer
care and
beyond.
BY SCOTT HARRIS
ON
YOUR
12 Fall 2016 Well
Cancer, the nation’s second-leading cause
of death, can pose a threat to anyone, but
men have a 50 percent greater chance
than women of dying from this group
of diseases. Prostate cancer killed 27,861
American men in 2013, the last year for
which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). Colon, bladder, kidney and
lung cancers all are more prevalent in men, thanks in part to
high-risk lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking, that
tend to be more common in men.
With major advances in scientific understanding, cancer
is easier than ever to detect and treat, but the best treatment
path can differ based on the individual and the type of cancer.
That is why a strong doctor-patient relationship is particularly
important when cancer is involved.
“Most prostate cancers are not deadly and should not be
treated,” explains Eric Wallen, MD, FACS, professor of urol-ogy,
who specializes in urologic oncology and robotic sur-gery
at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“The impact of any treatment on quality of life must be
discussed with patients.”
With that in mind, the cancer experts at UNC Lineberger
have an ongoing commitment to shared decision-making,
which means working with patients to determine the best
course of action with an understanding of the patient’s goals.
“Prostate cancer treatments can impact sexual function
and urinary function,” Dr. Wallen says. “Pursuing treatment
must involve weighing the benefits against the potential risks
of treatment. We spend time with patients to make sure they
understand the possible tradeoffs, and we use online and
printed material to support them in the process.”
An Eye on Cancer—
and Everything Else, Too
In general, men’s health care often finds itself missing a key
ingredient: men.
According to the CDC, women are 56 percent more likely
than men to visit the doctor and twice as likely to seek preven-tive
health care. That may be why women in the United States
live nearly five years longer than men. Also, men have a higher
likelihood of dying from nine of the CDC’s 10 leading causes
of death, from heart disease to household accidents.
Leaders at UNC Health Care are working to understand
and address these disparities. A new Men’s Health Program,
currently in the planning stages, will take steps to encourage
men to engage more in their health and to research men’s
health behavior. This endeavor involves departments across the
campus, from Athletics to Public Health, and not only matches
up with UNC Lineberger’s approach to treating cancer, which
places a premium on the doctor-patient relationship, but it also
resonates with all UNC physicians who treat men.
“Men don’t live as long as women, and they have higher
rates of most diseases, but this is not part of the national
health care conversation,” Dr. Wallen says. “Maybe we don’t
hear about it because it’s cultural—men are supposed to be
strong and silent. Maybe U.S. male health behavior is more
reactive than proactive.”
The Men’s Health Program would attempt to identify and
overcome barriers keeping men out of the doctor’s office
and, in the process, make it easier for men to seek and receive
the treatment they need. Program leaders also hope to con-duct
research into men’s health issues and establish a health
center specifically designed for men ages 19 and older that
includes evidence-based interventions to prevent many of
the diseases that can kill them.
“Men have traditionally sought episodic care, but if you
provide an atmosphere that caters to men, they would be
more likely to be involved,” says H. Shelton Earp III, MD,
director of UNC Cancer Care. “The idea of a Men’s Health
Program does not just revolve around the prostate, although
that is very important. The program will be aimed at the
many diseases that afflict men and the potential to prevent
them. Even though some of the leaders of the effort at UNC,
such as Eric Wallen, focus on urologic diseases, we have our
sights set on a larger goal: overall health.”
Your Physician: The Gateway to Health
Regardless of a man’s specific medical situation, the key to
men’s health may be finding a primary care doctor with
whom a patient feels comfortable and who can help coordi-nate
care among other providers.
“We hope to identify ways to get men to see doctors for
wellness and preventive checkups when they are younger—
to learn their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
levels,” Dr. Wallen says. “There are deadly diseases that can
be preventable, if caught early.”
A Tradition of
Excellence in Men’s
Health at UNC Health Care
• Commitment to multidisciplinary
collaboration among primary and specialty
care disciplines for men’s health
• Internationally renowned men’s health
expertise in clinical care and research
• Expertise in the study of health disparities
• Nationally renowned UNC Urologic
Oncology Multidisciplinary Clinic, which brings
together diverse experts to treat complex
male cancers
• Specialized sexual health and infertility
treatment and clinics
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 13
14 Fall 2016 Well
Screenings are
important tools for
staying healthy, but it
can be difficult to know
which ones to get and
when to get them. This
chart includes general
guidelines for men.
Because family medical
history and lifestyle
choices affect health
significantly, it is
important to allow your
doctor to determine
your individual
screening needs.
SERIOUSLY
Take MEN:
www.uncmedicalcenter.org 15
SCREENING AGES 18–39 AGES 40–64 AGES 65 AND OLDER
BLOOD PRESSURE
Men with diabetes, heart
disease, kidney problems
or certain other condi-tions
should have their
blood pressure checked
more often.
CHOLESTEROL
Men with diabetes,
heart disease, kidney
problems or certain
other conditions may
need to monitor their
cholesterol more closely.
DIABETES
Men should talk with a
physician about their
risk factors and when to
start screening.
COLON CANCER
Risk factors such as ulcer-ative
colitis, a personal or
family history of colorec-tal
cancer, or a history
of large colorectal adeno-mas
may require more
frequent screenings.
BONE HEALTH
The risk of developing
osteoporosis increases
with age. If you have risk
factors for osteoporosis
(long-term steroid use,
low body weight, smok-ing,
heavy alcohol use, a
fracture after age 50 or
a family history of osteo-porosis),
check with your
PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate examinations
are no longer routinely
done on men with no
symptoms.
LUNG CANCER
Lung cancer is the second
most common cancer,
and is a leading cause of
death in men.
Sources: MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine; The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; American Cancer Society
UNC Orthopaedics at
UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing
UNC Orthopaedics is excited to announce the opening of a new
clinic at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing. Located at the corner of
Weaver Dairy Road and Martin Luther King Boulevard, we are bringing our
expert care to a new, convenient location. In addition to modern surgical
techniques, we also champion non-surgical treatment options. Our team of
caring providers can help you with a broad range of activity related injuries.
• New convenient location
• Expert and empathetic care
• Free parking
• Surgical and non-surgical options
1181 Weaver Dairy Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 962-6637
www.uncortho.org
UNC Orthopaedics
at UNC Health Care at Weaver Crossing
Sports Medicine • Foot & Ankle
NOW
OPEN
University of North Carolina Hospitals at Chapel Hill
101 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-4220
Nonprofit Org.
US Postage
PAID
UNC
HOSPITALS