The silent crisis in men’s health
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 23 May 2023
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Across the life span, the risk of death is higher for men and boys than women and girls. The longevity gap is the greatest it’s been in years. It’s a health crisis that’s largely silent because men are largely silent about their health.
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The crisis in men’s health goes beyond men not going to the doctor enough. Men are dying, on average, nearly six years sooner than women — and the numbers for men of color are even worse.
Tara Parker-Pope is the editor of The Post’s “Well+Being” section. She joins guest host Chris Velazco to talk about why men are dying sooner than women, and what we can do about it.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Tara, I'm really glad we're getting to talk today because I'm a man. |
| 0:06.0 | I'm about to turn 35 and it is with considerable shame, I guess, that I have to say that I haven't |
| 0:13.8 | been to a doctor in at least five years, probably easily more than that. |
| 0:20.3 | That doesn't surprise me. |
| 0:21.3 | In fact, I think that's pretty typical for a man-year age. |
| 0:25.3 | This is Tara Parker Pope. |
| 0:30.3 | She's an editor for the Post's Health Section, well-being. |
| 0:34.3 | And Tara said, men just don't go to the doctor all that regularly. |
| 0:38.3 | But the story is much bigger than that. |
| 0:41.3 | The state of men's health is not good. |
| 0:43.3 | It's not in a good place. |
| 0:45.3 | And I think the most startling statistic and description of the situation |
| 0:51.3 | is that across the lifespan at every age, babies, boys, teens, men, middle-aged men, older men, |
| 1:03.3 | are more likely to die. |
| 1:06.3 | They will die sooner than women. |
| 1:09.3 | Tara says some of this is because of how men live their lives. |
| 1:13.3 | They're more likely to be in a car crash. |
| 1:15.3 | They're more likely to be in a pedestrian accident, a bicycle accident. |
| 1:18.3 | They tend to do more dangerous jobs than women. |
| 1:21.3 | But the problem is across the board, no matter their ethnicity or their socio-economic status, |
| 1:28.3 | men are dying years before women. |
| 1:31.3 | So in 2021, which are the most recent numbers we have, |
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