“Real Men Wear Gowns”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has joined with The Advertising Council to launch a national campaign designated to raise awareness among middle-aged men about the importance of preventative medical testing.

Men are 25 percent less likely than women to have visited the doctor within the past year and are 38 percent more likely than women to have neglected cholesterol tests (Source: AHRQ Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2005). Furthermore, men are 1.5 times more likely that women to die from heart disease, cancer and chronic lower respiratory diseases (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005).

The campaign encourages men to visit a comprehensive Web site, www.ahrq.gov/realmen. The site provides the recommended ages for preventive testing (as well as a list of tests), a quiz designed to test your knowledge of preventive health care, tips for talking with your doctor, a glossary of consumer health terms, and links to online resources where you can find more medical information.