SEATTLE — Doctors are urging men to check in on their health.
June is Men’s Health Month, and doctors are urging men to take a moment to check in on themselves.
Some medical professionals are concerned that many don’t make their physical and mental health a priority.
In this week’s Healthier Together, Dr. Nicole Saint Clair, Executive Medical Director of Regence BlueShield, sat down with KIRO 7 to talk about what men can do to keep themselves healthy and potentially extend their life expectancy.
She says the need for a Men’s Health Month boils down pretty simply to “help remind our men to take some time to focus on what they are doing, and all of the things to do to preserve their health.”
The doctor says you don’t need years of medical training to see that men’s and women’s health can be different and can diverge along certain lines.
The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women, and Dr. Saint Clair says some diseases are clearly present more often in men.
“It’s true, we know that also men sometimes are a little bit less likely to seek care and acknowledge when they’re needing a little bit of help with their mental health compared to women,” Dr. Saint Clair says.
She notes that men need to acknowledge their struggles as a first step towards a healthier lifestyle.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that in April of 2025, the prevalence of depression was higher in females at 16% compared to males at 10.1%.
About 10% more females with depression reported receiving therapy or counseling from a mental health professional in the past year.
The CDC findings are featured in new reports, “Depression Prevalence in Adolescents and Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023.”
Along with a second report, “Characteristics of Adults Age 18 and Older Who Took Prescription Medication for Depression: United States, 2023.”
The doctor says there are some simple steps men can take to keep a pulse on their health:
- Schedule annual physical exams, even if you feel well
- Monitor blood pressure
- Prioritize regular exercise
- Manage your stress levels
- Get screened for any concerns
- Be aware of your family history of diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and share this information with your doctor.
Dr. Saint Clair says these conditions are more common in men and can contribute to a reduced life expectancy.
She says quitting smoking and cutting down on drinking also helps.
While some men turn to family and friends for support on medical issues, the doctor admits some don’t have a support system.
She says finding support groups is one way to bridge that gap.
“There are settings in small groups of similar people who also feel equally uncomfortable and will come together in a small setting to say, hey, how can we support each other?”
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