Re-understanding Men's Health: Health Standards and Male Vulnerability

(II) Re-understanding Men's Health: A Comprehensive Understanding of Men's Health

In 1998, the World Health Organization’s Special Programme of Research on Human Reproductive Health first proposed policies and measures for reproductive health (family planning, women’s health, infant and child health, and sexually transmitted disease control) and formally included “reproductive health” in the memorandum in 1998.

In 1994, the definition of "reproductive health" was formally established as: "The human being and the individual in good physical, mental and social condition throughout all activities relating to reproduction."

This definition was adopted by the World Health Organization's Global Policy Committee and confirmed at the "Population and Development" conference held in Egypt in September of the same year, and incorporated into the "Population and Development Action Programme." According to this standard, male health refers to the state of health in men's physical, psychological, and social aspects, based on male reproductive health.

Currently, this health standard has been accepted and implemented by the majority of people. In June 1994, the Beijing International Institute of Reproductive Health announced its endorsement of reproductive health policies and proposed a reproductive health plan suitable for my country's national conditions.

To accurately describe a person's health condition, some Japanese scholars have proposed the "Four Quicknesses" of health. These four quicknesses are: eating quickly, defecating quickly, sleeping quickly, and speaking quickly. In other words, a person with a good appetite, good digestion, quick thinking, strong responsiveness, and good nervous system function can generally be considered healthy.

To further help people fully and accurately understand the concept of health, the World Health Organization has established ten criteria for measuring whether a person is healthy:

(1) They are energetic and can calmly handle daily life and heavy work without feeling overly tense or tired.

(2) Be optimistic, have a positive attitude, be willing to take responsibility, and not be picky about anything, no matter how big or small.

(3) Good at resting and sleep well.

(4) It has strong adaptability and can adapt to various changes in the external environment.

(5) It can resist common colds and infectious diseases.

(6) Appropriate weight, well-proportioned body, and coordinated head, shoulder and arm positions when standing.

(7) Bright eyes, quick reflexes, and eyelids are not prone to inflammation.

(8) Teeth are clean, free of cavities, and painless; gums are normal in color and there is no bleeding.

(9) Hair is shiny and free of dandruff.

(10) Full muscles and elastic skin.

Many people believe that men's health is never an issue. However, the reality is that men are not as strong as we think.

From a physiological perspective, men face more challenges than women from the very beginning of life. Male fertilized eggs are less likely to survive than female fertilized eggs. Due to genetic factors, male fetuses undergo a more complex transformation process in the uterus than female fetuses, resulting in a higher rate of miscarriage for male fetuses. In the first month after birth, the mortality rate for male infants is 30% higher than for female infants, and the rate of disability and deformity is also 33% higher for male infants than for female infants. Therefore, it is clear that men are not inherently superior to women, and their physical constitution is not inherently stronger.

Men generally have lower endurance and disease resistance than women. They are less resistant to hunger, fatigue, and mental stress. When men encounter obstacles at work, their heart rate often increases, blood pressure rises, and adrenaline secretion increases, while women rarely experience these reactions. Consequently, men have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease than women. Women possess dual immune genes and twice the amount of immune substances as men, making them less susceptible to many diseases. However, men have a higher incidence and mortality rate in certain genetic diseases, respiratory diseases, digestive diseases, diabetes, and liver diseases. Statistics show that approximately 30 diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia, stomach ulcers, color blindness, baldness, and boils, are more common in men.

Many people believe that women are moody and emotionally fragile. In reality, men are less emotionally stable than women, and their tolerance for mental stress is far lower. Data shows that there are more men than women suffering from hysteria, more men committing suicide, and the male-to-female ratio of epilepsy patients is 8:1. In many countries, there are significantly more male than female patients in mental hospitals. The male-to-female ratio of stuttering is 5:1. During World War II, nearly 70% more men than women developed mental illness due to siege and bombing.

From a longevity perspective, this also serves as a wake-up call for men-men have shorter life expectancies. Men's average lifespan is far shorter than women's; in my country, the average lifespan of men is 5 years shorter than that of women. Data from the National Health Survey shows that men's life expectancy is 6 years shorter than women's! Moreover, even disregarding lifespan, men's quality of life is generally lower than women's.

The current state of men's health worldwide is far from optimistic. According to experts, since the 1960s, the number of deaths from prostate cancer has increased by 17%; and the declining quality of male sperm has become an increasingly serious international concern. In stark contrast, there is a lack of awareness about men's health throughout society. Compared to women, men visit doctors 28% less frequently. Data shows that 20% of men never engage in any form of physical exercise; 80% of patients with serious illnesses admit that they missed the optimal treatment window because they didn't seek medical attention for a long time, allowing minor ailments to go undetected and develop into major illnesses. Half of men are unwilling to spend time exercising, citing reasons such as lack of time, being too tired from work, or having more important things to do.

The first step in promoting men's health education is to help the general public rediscover the scientific concepts of men's health and gain a comprehensive understanding of the less-than-optimistic state of men's health.

(III) Common Male Diseases

1. ED (Erectile Dysfunction). Approximately 52% of men over 40 years of age may experience ED, and at least 100 million men worldwide suffer from varying degrees of ED. A survey in China showed that about 15% of men have moderate to severe ED. Only 10% of ED patients in China seek medical help. Viagra has an 84% efficacy rate for organic ED, and 81% and 79% efficacy rates for psychogenic and mixed ED, respectively. As of April 2000, Viagra was available in over 100 countries and regions worldwide, with 250 million tablets prescribed and over 8 million ED patients using it.

2. Prostate. More than half of men over 50 suffer from various prostate symptoms, including prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer. Chronic prostatitis is prevalent among men aged 20-40, with a very high incidence rate. Statistics show that 35%-40% of men over 35 suffer from this disease, accounting for about one-quarter of male patients visiting urology departments. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease among elderly men. More than half of men over 50 have BPH.

3. Infertility. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 60 to 80 million couples worldwide suffer from infertility, while in my country, approximately 35 million men are infertile. Male factors play a significant role in about 50% of infertile couples. Over the past half-century, male sperm counts have decreased by 40%. Sexual dysfunction is a major cause of infertility, accounting for about 5% of all cases.

4. Hypertension. Currently, there are over 100 million people with hypertension in China, and the condition is trending towards affecting younger people. Before the age of 55, men have a significantly higher risk of developing hypertension than women.

5. Diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes in men is almost the same as in women. Diabetes can cause erectile dysfunction (ED), and ED often serves as a warning sign of diabetes. The incidence of ED in diabetic patients can reach 40% to 60%, which is 3 to 5 times higher than in non-diabetic individuals.

6. Depression. 7% to 12% of men may experience depression more than once in their lifetime. One-third of patients with physical illnesses also suffer from depression.

7. Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits in Men. Men who smoke one pack a day for five years have a 15% higher chance of developing erectile dysfunction (ED). Couples where one partner smokes often experience more than three times the difficulties with pregnancy and childbirth compared to non-smoking couples. A survey by the UK's Action on Smoking and Health organization indicates that cigarettes have caused 120,000 cases of ED in British men. The survey found that 88% of smokers were unaware of the link between smoking and sexual dysfunction, and even after being informed, only 33% understood the harmful effects of smoking. The report "Smoking and Erectile Dysfunction" indicates that smoking increases the risk of ED in men aged 30 and 40 by 50%. my country has over 300 million alcoholics, with more than 40,000 people suffering from alcohol poisoning each year. Alcohol can kill. The mortality rate for alcoholics is 2.5 times higher than that of non-alcoholics of the same age.