Editorial: Physicians Must Help Men Overcome Barriers To Care
“A growing body of sex-specific studies shows a trend among men, especially white middle-class men, of delaying seeking help when they become ill,” writes June K. Robinson, M.D., of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and editor of Archives of Dermatology, and colleagues in an accompanying editorial. “By delaying seeking care, men present at a later stage of melanoma when it is no longer treatable.”
“The tasks associated with seeking help from physicians, such as relying on others, admitting a need for help or appearing vulnerable, may be in conflict with some individuals’ societal and normative beliefs that men are self-reliant, physically tough, invincible and in control of their destiny. For example, some men may be thought of as the ’strong, silent type’; thus, they are reluctant to make a fuss over a little mole or to admit their fear that something could be wrong, even to themselves.”
“This latter issue leads to the question of how physicians can interact with their patients in a manner that overcomes some of these interpersonal and psychological barriers to improve treatment outcomes,” the authors write. Building strong, trusting physician-patient relationships, using appropriate patient education materials, asking patients about their concerns and demonstrating empathy may improve the care of all patients with melanoma.
