Call for joint effort to boost men’s health education

With cancer rates among men outpacing women’s, two figures in the fight against the disease have called for more health education of young men

General surgeon Ian Lewis and Antoine Williams, public relations officer for Cancer Support Services (CSS), called for greater collaboration to target young men with health information. This, they said, would not only raise the awareness around cancer and other health conditions in males but stir more timely intervention and screening thereby aiding in prompt diagnosis and care.

Their comments were made during the CSS’ ninth annual conference held under the theme: Integrated Approach to Cancer Care at the Accra Hotel, Rockley, Christ Church on Saturday.

During his presentation on Big Medicine – Real or Imagined?, Lewis expressed concern that health education among men continues to lag.

He said: “Would you believe me if I told you there was far more prostate cancer in this country than breast cancer?

There is by far, but the reality is, one it is not talked about and two men actually do very well once they avail of appropriate treatment.

“But I don’t find this as an indictment on the patients, in terms of not knowing what to do, and when to do and how often to do. It speaks to us as the medical teachers. Dr Daniel [Kellman] mentioned that doctor means teacher…. We need to get oncologists into the community. That’s one thrust we have to make and two in general we have to push male health issues more as doctors and nurse teachers – we have to.”

Williams later told Barbados TODAY that a joint effort on health education is necessary for action to be truly effective and meaningful.

“I would think that we would need to readjust our educational focus especially where that is concerned,” he said.  “The operative word is support and we don’t particularly go out there and provide education whether it is for breast cancer, colon cancer, whatever it may be but we are realising that that now has to be a focus.

“We now have to, through conferences of this kind, similar forums, to really have ways of educating the general public. Men don’t talk. They would just carry their burden individually but we have to get them to come together in a safe environment, safe in terms of a place where they feel what is said here will remain here, and that is the focus we have to work towards.

“Health education is necessary. . . but we can’t rely solely on an institution such as Cancer Support Services. The work is out there and we will try in our own way to try to share such information [but] I think this would certainly be an exercise for everybody to come and participate.”

At this weekend’s conference there were several other presentations including: Melanoma and Curing Cancers that have spread. What’s new? by Dr. Anesa Ahamad; Cancer treatment Centres of America  and Integrative Care Models by Dr. Daniel Kellman; ‘New Normal’ Is Not a Novel Idea by Dr. Stephanie Wellington as well as PEMF as Adjunctive Care in Treating Cancer delivered by Dr. Sean Russell. (KC)