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CNN Live At Daybreak

Men Unlikely to See Doctor Regularly

Aired June 11, 2002 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Men, listen up. Experts say you're not going to the doctor enough.

CNN's Christy Feig says an apple a day is not enough.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTY FEIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just the fact that Charles Dobson is here only for a checkup makes him unusual.

CHARLES DOBSON, PATIENT: I come for preventive maintenance, I'd say, on my body, because I don't want something to crop up.

FEIG: Studies show, in general, men tend to go to the doctor only when they're sick. And experts say that puts them at risk for missing crucial opportunities to catch disease early.

DR. ELMER HUERTA, WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER: Many killers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, they don't give you any signal when you are living your daily life.

FEIG: And the numbers back it up. Men die an average of seven years before women, are twice as likely to die of skin cancer, three times more likely to be alcoholics and suffer heart attacks 10 years earlier than women. So why don't men go? Experts say the problem starts early when they're boys.

TRACIE SPITKER, MEN'S HEALTH NETWORK: We don't teach them that they have a doctor to go to, because they don't. We don't talk to them about testicular self exams, noticing changes in their body. And then later on in life they don't notice these same changes in their body and think that there's anything they can do about it.

FEIG: The necessary annual tests vary by age. Between 20 and 39 it's testing for blood pressure and the early signs of heart disease and cancer. At 40 and 50, more thorough screenings for both cancer and heart disease are added.

Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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