By Adam Dougherty, MPH

Apt parenting is at the very core of our social construct, and the paternal role is a vital linkage in this fabric. Beyond the mere biological need to reproduce, we unequivocally understand that the father figure has nothing less than an obligation to protect, nurture, guide, and edify their young into capable independence. And, this commitment undoubtedly solidifies into unparalleled achievement; a recent Rasmussen Report found 71% of American adults continue to believe that fatherhood is the most important role a man can fill.

Realizing the fundamental essence of fatherhood, it is no mistake that the closing of Men’s Health Week lies on Father’s Day. Today, the accomplishments of men’s health advocates and fathers everywhere will be nationally recognized as the House votes to pass H.Con.Res. 288 – Supporting National Men’s Health Week (Rep. Cummings).

The Obama Administration has also made fatherhood a priority. The proposed FY2011 budget includes $500 million for a new Fatherhood, Marriage, and Families Innovation Fund that would be geared towards programs to strengthen families and would provide funds for transitional employment programs for unemployed, non-custodial parents. In collaboration with the NFL Players’ Association and the national PTA, the President also recently launched a new Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative where people can sign up to receive e-newsletters containing information and mentoring tips from fatherhood and family leaders. Join the Initiative at www.fatherhood.gov/initative.

I would like to personally thank all our readers for their continued awareness and support of fatherhood initiatives such as these, and most importantly I want to wish my mentor, hero, and dad a very happy Father’s Day for guiding me on the path to manhood.

By Ramon P. Llamas, MPH, CHES

Imagine this: a father pushing his child in a stroller, fulfilling his duties as a father, seen as attractive and potentially “the new kind of manly.”  Author Katrin Bennhold describes this new definition of masculinity in her article, “In Sweden, Men Can Have It All,” as a “most striking example of social engineering.”  Ms. Bennhold chronicles the country’s progressive policies that currently provide men with up to two months paternity leave, roughly 15% of the time allotted for women.  Currently, the elections in September could possibly grant more time off for fathers.

The current policy as well as the support to increase paternity leave is a bold and innovative concept.  Providing paternity leave to fathers not only assists mothers in child-rearing, but it also reinforces the role that fathers play in raising a child.  Moreover, women have received larger incomes and reduced divorce rates as a result.  A study that examines this public policy’s effect on children, specifically graduation rates and juvenile delinquency has the potential to influence policymakers.

I strongly believe that policies like the aforementioned could create a huge impact in any society.  The task at hand, however, is daunting.  A policy can only go so far.  The individuals, in this case the fathers, themselves have to understand that it is hard work to care for a child.  They also have to be willing to put in the work.

I would like to wish all of the fathers out there a very happy and safe Father’s Day.  And please, take an active role in your child’s life.

Any thoughts as to whether a policy to establish paternity leave could pass in the US?  Please, if you have any questions or comments, email me at ramonl@menshealthnetwork.net.

By Brandon Leonard, MA

With dozens of activities happening around the country to mark Men’s Health Month, this seems like the perfect time to announce the launch of the new California Men’s Health Network.  This chapter of the national MHN will allow us to promote men’s health through both statewide and local initiatives in the Golden State.  These include:

• Health Screenings and Education:

The California Men’s Health Network will sponsor and help to organize free men’s health screenings and information sessions, covering issues such as heart, prostate and mental health.  These events will be held in partnership with civic organizations, clinics, churches, employers, and other entities interested in promoting the health of men in their communities.

• College and University Outreach:

College is the time that many young people first begin taking responsibility for their own health.  Young men are less likely than their female counterparts to engage in behaviors promoting their health, and schools do not typically focus on men’s health issues as part of their health programs.  The California Men’s Health Network proposes to partner with universities in the state, offering informative training sessions for student health workers about men’s health issues along with materials that they can reference, hand out to students, and place in common areas.

• California Men’s Health Summit:

The California Men’s Health Network plans to organization an annual Men’s Health Summit that will attract both health professionals and potential leaders in men’s health.  During the summit, participants will learn about ways to engage men and their families in dialogues about their health and to organize local events promoting public health.

• Connecting Resources:

California MHN will serve as a hub for organizations and individuals with an interest in advancing men’s health.  We will not duplicate the efforts of other organizations, but find the synergy between the strengths of existing groups and leverage this power toward meaningful changes in men’s health.  We will be a resource to help the public find information, services and support related to men’s health.

• Men’s Health Advocacy:

California MHN will be a voice for healthcare policy and practice that responds to the unique health needs of men and addresses disparities in men’s health outcomes.   We will educate lawmakers in Sacramento about men’s health issues in our state.  California MHN will also work to make the public more informed about important discussions and decisions that affect men’s health.

As the new chapter develops, we will be looking for partnerships with other organizations, donors, expert advisors/speakers, fundraisers, and volunteers to help with events.  If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact Brandon Leonard, Director, at brandonl@menshealthnetwork.net.  We would also encourage you to join our fan page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CALMHN.  Stay tuned there for more updates!

Come by the Alemany Farmer’s Market in San Francisco this Saturday, June 19 to visit the California MHN booth!

By Dr. Michael J Rovito
CHECK THIS POST OUT ON SCRIBD

The following post is paraphrased from one of my recent guest lectures. It sparked enormous debate and I was very pleased to see college students taking the initiative to discuss their health among peers. Although the topic was testicular cancer and testicular self-examination, I told the females in the class to parallel the discussion to breast cancer and breast self-examination.

…and so the lecture/discussion began:

Would you rather feel a strange bump on your testicle, get anxious and worried, make an appointment (still stressed out, mind you), go to your physician and have him/her perform a manual examination on your testicles and have them tell you it’s nothing (a false positive), or would you rather not even think about your testicular health and not screen yourself, or get screened, for cancer? Let’s face it, statistically you have a very slim chance of developing the disease so why would you even worry yourself over something that could be absolutely nothing?

Perhaps for false positive cases a trip to the physician might cost you a co-pay and your insurance company a couple hundred dollars for the 30 minute visit. But as long as you do not have cancer, all is good. Right? On the other hand, what if you did not perform regular testicular self-examinations or, if you did, you did not perform it thoroughly? Perhaps you may have missed something. You would think you don’t have cancer as you feel no lumps. Maybe even you refuse to realize you are vulnerable and therefore have no reason to perform self-screening. But again, what if you actually do have the disease but you believe that you don’t (false negative)?

So back to the original question, would you rather have some anxiety and worry about whether or not you have cancer because you felt a lump on your testicle erroneously or would you rather ignore or misperceive possible symptoms (lumps, heaviness in the groin, etc) and believe you do not have testicular cancer when actually you do?

…after some initial reactions from the students, I continued:

Testicular is nicknamed the “hurricane cancer” for a reason. The tumor usually doubles in size over the course of a few weeks. So the answer to your question should be pretty clear. You would probably want to be a bit more involved with your bodily health and understand what the warning signs are for the disease. If you look at Lance Armstrong’s situation, all signs and symptoms were not paid proper homage. When he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, it was already metastasized to his lungs and brain. He was only given approximately a 40 to 50% chance of survival. If you catch testicular cancer in its early stages, your chance of recovery is 99%. Do the math.

…again, more debate followed. At this point I was surprised at the passionate exchange of ideas. Perhaps traditional barriers of modesty and embarrassment to discuss such topics among not only other men, but females as well (and vice versa), are being eroded. I concluded with the following:

Men need to understand their health is indeed at risk. Under no circumstances should a man be uninformed of what those risks are and what he can do to limit them. Although risks rise and fall with certain demographic variables, generally a man should understand his body and how to achieve and maintain healthiness. Just because you are a man does not give you a free pass to get out of unhealthy situations. In fact, the traditional societal roles imposed onto men can indeed put them more at risk. You’re a human. You are going to get sick at some point in your life. Some people more than others. However, you have the power to help shape your health outcomes. So if the question of whether you would prefer a false positive or false negative (in the case of testicular cancer), you would probably rather be more safe than sorry.

…I left the discussion pleased. Maybe students are being more efficacious with their health and well-being. That’s indeed something positive to hear amidst the endless stream of bad news we experience every day from our cable news channels, particularly what’s been going on in the Gulf of Mexico and Afghanistan.

——–

Blurb about today’s Guest Blogger:

Michael J Rovito received his M.A. in Geography and Ph.D. in Public Health from Temple University in Philadelphia. Michael currently is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Temple University. His research specializes in health behavior change, men’s health, and audience segmentation. His most recent research developed the “Control Identity” Personality Typology that aims to assist health education and intervention efforts for tailoring messaging strategies. Michael is a Fellow of the Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making, the Albert Schweitzer Foundation, and the Information Technology in Society Research Group. His interests include military and World War II history, outdoor sports, and political strategy.

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By Adam Dougherty, MPH

TAMH is pleased to announce that the Indian Health Service (IHS) will welcome a new initiative into its effort, the Office of Indian Men’s Health. The novel Office was included within each version of the two congressional houses’ Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), H.R. 2708 and S. 1790. The IHCIA was reauthorized permanently and indefinitely as part of this year’s federal health reform effort, The Patient Protection Affordable Care Act.

It is still unsure on how the new Office will be structured yet as the new Office may mirror the Office of Indian Women’s Health, but nevertheless it has and will effectively establish American Indian/Alaska native men’s health as a national priority. This population has unequivocally shown to be increasingly disparate in terms of health behavior, chronic disease and mortality rates compared to all other ethnicities and races. We applaud the federal government’s recognition of the need to create a nationwide focus on men’s health, and we will continue to be a tireless partner to develop its role as a necessary leader in improving the health of men and their families. Below is quote from Stacy Bohlen, Executive Director of the National Indian Health Board responding to the new initiative, as well as the statement from the Men’s Health Network.

“American Indian and Alaska Native men are the most at-risk population in the United States. They suffer from some of the highest rates of suicide and unintentional injury mortality among other males, in addition to suffering from greater rates of cancer. The creation of an office of Men’s health within Indian Health Service is a positive step forward in both recognizing that the population requires additional attention and in, hopefully, enhancing the services, interventions and public health practices that will benefit our men.”

~Stacy Bohlen, Executive Director, National Indian Health Board

MEN’S HEALTH NETWORK APPLAUDS CREATION OF OFFICE OF INDIAN MEN’S HEALTH:

(May 26, 2010) – The creation of the Office of Indian Men’s Health to complement the existing Office of Indian Women’s Health within the Indian Health Service is a momentous achievement and important step toward improving the health of American Indian men and their loved ones. Men’s Health Network (MHN) is thrilled that this essential health initiative was included in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) which was made permanent on March 23, 2010 when President Obama signed the bill as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“We need to find the most effective ways to promote healthy lifestyles and choices among all groups of Americans,” U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said. “I applaud the efforts behind the creation of this new Office of Indian Men’s Health, and hope that it will serve as a model for future endeavors as we work to raise disease awareness and increase prevention initiatives throughout our society.”

“The creation of the Office of Indian Men’s Health underscores the overwhelming need to address the health status of American Indian and Alaskan Native men,” said Daniel Molina, MD, Assistant Medical Director at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. “Cultural forces and the often stoic nature of men in our community frequently results in the ignoring of symptoms and a reluctance to seek medical care until treatable conditions are in their end stages. We must continue to improve the access to care for these men and address disease prevention with focuses on blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol control, depression and prostate cancer screening.”

“The Office of Indian Men’s Health will raise awareness about male health issues in the Native American community, and ways to prevent and detect men’s health problems. The result will be more men getting the treatment needed and lives will be saved,” said Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA). “For too long the health needs of all men have gone unaddressed. This Office is a step towards men’s health taking its rightful place in our federal government’s healthcare priorities.” Congressman Murphy is co-chair of the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus.

“Increased emphasis on the health of American Indian and Alaska Native men will help to reduce access to care disparities and focus on prevention of chronic diseases like cancer, when the disease is easier to treat and survive,” said Michael H. Trujillo, MD, MPH, American Cancer Society Great West Division Board Director. “This critical initiative gives men – often the guideposts in the community – the ability to set a powerful example about the importance of being proactive about health.”

American Indian/Alaska Natives suffer from alarming health disparities in health behaviors, chronic disease and mortality rates. For example, they are twice as likely to have diabetes as Caucasians. American Indian/Alaska Native men are more likely to smoke and to be obese than their white, African American and Asian counterparts.

“It’s an exciting time for American Indian and Alaskan Native men as well as all men and their families nationwide,” said Scott T. Williams, Vice President, Men’s Health Network. “We look forward to the day when there will be an Office of Men’s Health at each of the federal agencies addressing the health of American families.”

by Adam Dougherty, MPH

Last week, Congress passed arguably the most comprehensive health legislation since Medicare. After over a year of passionate debate (and nearly a 100 years in the making), the bill was signed into law. Though not a perfect bill, far from it for many, the legislation establishes a fundamental social precedent where we as a society have decided that basic access to health care is a right and not a privilege. Unfortunately, the political rhetoric has overshadowed many of the benefits in the new law and with it has created large amounts of misinformation. I would like to take the next few paragraphs to explain just a few of the benefits.

The major Pillars of the law (the individual mandate, health insurance exchanges, tax subsidies for individuals, and Medicaid expansion) don’t activate for a number of years, but there are numerous provisions that go into effect much sooner. As soon as the President’s pen(s) signed the bill, small businesses with less than 25 employees became eligible for a 35% tax credit to offer their employees health insurance and seniors in the dreaded Medicare Part D ‘doughnut hole’ became eligible for a rebate to help pay for the costs of prescription drugs. Effective immediately are also a number of new funding streams to improve access to care like appropriations for nurse-managed health clinics ($50 million annually) and the National Health Service Corps (increasing from $320 million annually), and funding to encourage investment in therapies to prevent, diagnose and treat chronic disease ($1 billion over two years). In addition, nearly $500 million will be awarded to the Cure Acceleration Network to pursue many high-need cures with $35 million appropriated annually for mental/behavioral health education and training. The law makes an immediate investment in public health with appropriations for fellowship training grants in the field ($40 million annually) and the creation of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, dedicating $500 million annually (eventually increasing to $2 billion) to expand and sustain public health and prevention programs.

In September, health insurance companies will be forever banned from detrimental actions like dropping coverage for individuals who get sick, denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, and placing lifetime and restrictive annual caps on health insurance coverage. New private plans will also be required to cover preventive services and children will be able to stay on their parents’ insurance until their 26th birthday.

In January, primary care physicians will be eligible for a 10% bonus payment in Medicare, new funds will be available for community health centers (increasing from $1 billion annually), and health insurers will be required to cover tobacco cessation programs for pregnant women. Chain restaurants and vending machines will be required to display nutrition information (calories, grams of fat, grams of sodium) with each item, which will begin to help foster a more widespread discussion and strategy regarding the obesity epidemic. The New Year will also produce a $200 million grant program for small businesses to initiate wellness programs, further strengthening a newfound investment in prevention and lifestyle improvement.

These are just a few of the short-term benefits from one health professional’s perspective. No doubt, I take issue with a number of disconcerting provisions such as some of the revenue streams (taxes) as well as cost-containment methods that attempt to address the uncontrolled growth in health care costs. Long-term endeavors to slow the rate of health spending in public and private programs will be needed in order to maintain America’s competitiveness in the global marketplace and will take decades. Though the hard-fought bill was passed, this is truly only the beginning of the reform process. No matter your position of support, it is important to understand that there will be ample opportunity to augment/improve/re-work many of the provisions in the law, especially over the three-year implementation period preceding the 2014 Pillars. The benefits of reform will soon be tangible for millions of working Americans, and we should continue to work together to lay the foundation for a healthier America while improving the value of the investment we make in our health care system with an evidence-based focus on efficiency and care coordination, rewarding quality over quantity, prevention, and wellness.

By Ramon P. Llamas, MPH

Richard J. Ablin, research professor of immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, has been studying prostate cancer for over 40 years.  After discovering the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA), an enzyme made by the prostate, and subsequent approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 1994, the PSA test is the most commonly used tool for detecting prostate cancer in men.  Approximately 30 million American men undergo testing for PSA each year, which Dr. Ablin refers to in a recent New York Times editorial as a “public health disaster¹.”  He states that, although prostate cancer receives a lot of attention, “American men have a 16 percent lifetime chance of receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer, but only a 3 percent chance of dying from it.”  As a result, he believes that “the medical community must confront reality and stop the inappropriate use of PSA screening” because it could save our ailing health care system billions of dollars from “unnecessary, debilitating treatments.”

Several letters were published in response to Dr. Ablin on March 12².

The president of the American Urological Association (AUA), Anton J. Bueschen, responds with AUA’s recommendation “that men ages 40 and older talk to their doctors about prostate health and the pros and cons of having a PSA test.”

Stephen Teitelbaum, Chief of Urology at the Kings Highway Division of Beth Israel Medical Center, argues that the studies Dr. Albin cites in his article are “too short to draw any conclusions regarding the utility of PSA screening.”  He suggests conclusions be made after a 20-year follow-up period to determine the test’s effectiveness.  In addition, he believes that “prostate-specific antigen testing is our best chance of finding prostate cancer while it’s still curable.”  Furthermore, he places great emphasis on the potential number of lives spared as a result of PSA screening, early detection and treatment, referencing that 3 percent of men “sounds like a lot of men to me.”

Prostate cancer survivor, Lewis H. Miller, Jr., describes his experience and states that “over the last 12 years, I have never regretted my decision, and I have become a proselytizer for yearly PSA testing so long as the primary focus is on acceleration and not merely on a single numerical reading.”  The acceleration Mr. Miller refers to is the change in PSA readings over a short period of time, which can signal abnormal prostate health.

Prostate cancer survivor, Scott Winokur, also describes his experience, “I had no family history of the disease and was utterly asymptomatic nearly 14 years ago when, at age 50, a routine PSA test turned up an aggressive cancer (the disease is often aggressive and therefore especially dangerous in younger men).”  He ends his letter, “But the answer is not to climb aboard the bandwagon and issue a blanket condemnation of the PSA test.  In doing so, authorities like Dr. Ablin condemn tens of thousands of men to early, painful deaths each year.”

Men’s Health Network (MHN), alongside 10 other independent, not-for-profit organizations, collectively known as America’s Prostate Cancer Organizations, issued a joint statement to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on March 4, 2010³.  Relevant excerpts to the debate for screening, early detection and treatment are listed below.

Our shared goal is that all such men should receive the most appropriate advice and care, and that we continue to limit the devastating impact of prostate cancer on men and their families.

The early detection and appropriate treatment of clinically significant and potentially lethal prostate cancer remains a critical priority, especially among men at high risk because of family history, ethnicity, or other factors that define such risk.

Every man has the right to know whether he is at risk for potentially lethal prostate cancer.

Until more accurate tests are available, all health care insurance plans should include coverage of regular testing for prostate cancer (including the prostate-specific antigen or PSA test and the digital rectal exam or DRE) – and its subsequent diagnosis.

Have you or a loved one been affected by prostate cancer?  What are your views about prostate cancer screenings?  Please contact me at ramonl@menshealthnetwork.net and I would love to hear your story.

We also encourage any women who have been affected by prostate cancer to share their stories with Women Against Prostate Cancer, a grassroots organization founded to provide support for women and their families affected by prostate cancer by providing access to resources and supportive programming.  They can be reached at info@womenagainstprostatecancer.org.

References

¹http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/opinion/10Ablin.html?scp=1&sq=the%20great%20prostate%20mistake&st=cse

²http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/12/opinion/l12prostate.html?scp=4&sq=psa&st=cse

³http://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/PCagroupshearingstatement030410.pdf

Men’s Health Caucus in the American Public Health Association

Ramon P. Llamas, MPH

On February 24, 2010, Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association (APHA), announced the Association’s support for the Men’s Health Caucus, which will draw awareness to an emerging and cross-cutting public health concern. Scott Williams, Chair of the newly formed Caucus and Vice President of Men’s Health Network (MHN), explained that “The Men’s Health Caucus is necessary to bring together academic institutions, health departments, non-profit organizations and others with a common interest in improving the health and well-being of men and their families. This field is in desperate need of a diverse, multi-disciplinary, and coordinated approach to better tackle this public health issue within our communities.”

This caucus will allow APHA members and other individuals interested in the field to coalesce around the impact of poor health outcomes and premature death in men as it pertains to public health. Men of all races, on average, live about 5 years less than their female counterparts because they are less proactive and less engaged with the healthcare system, illustrated by CDC reports that women are 100% more likely than men to seek preventive care. Additionally, poor health outcomes in men cause significant financial burdens on the health care system; higher prevalence rates of chronic disease result in premature death and disability which ultimately affect utilization and rates of health care services. Moreover, the ramifications of chronic disease transcend beyond the individual, often affecting immediate family members as well as members of the individual’s social network. As a result, MHN agrees with the following statement from Dr. Benjamin that “protecting and improving the health of men and their families is essential to improving the health of our nation.” It is MHN’s strong belief that strategic and gender-specific outreach can, in fact, improve health outcomes in men. The formation of an official caucus to facilitate dialogue between health professionals, public health practitioners and researchers will create opportunities for progress in the field.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the Men’s Health Caucus, please do not hesitate to contact me at ramonl@menshealthnetwork.net.

By Adam Dougherty, MPH

Below is an excerpt from a forthcoming study that I authored, which investigates the federal costs associated with excess disease burden in men in an attempt to substantiate the need for a federal Office of Men’s Health.

Despite the increased risk of disease and injury, the health of men is oft an overlooked subject.  Men have significantly higher death rates in nine of the ten top leading causes of death, higher rates of smoking and overweight/obesity, are more often uninsured, and are far less likely to receive routine preventive care. While the moral imperative is evident in reducing health disparities, merely stating the effort is “the right thing to do” often may not provide sufficient motivation to act. Linking the issue to financial incentives, though, gets many more people talking, especially when it’s your tax dollars at work.

The resulting costs of premature morbidity and mortality in men are substantial, particularly so to the federal government in the form of direct medical costs and survivor benefits. Men are at worse health as they enter Medicare, causing substantially higher costs to the program. Excess Medicaid hospital payments for uncompensated care to uninsured men and lost federal revenue as a result of disease burden, disability, and death contribute to excess federal costs. Public benefits for low-income widows and families are substantial as a result of premature death in men including Social Security survivor benefits, Medicaid and Medicare low-income subsidies, and the Food Stamp program.

Across the nation we should dedicate our efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of men, though no organized federal entity is present to provide sustained leadership and national directives. A commitment to prevention and health promotion in men will help curb this expenditure growth and create effective social norms by breaking through the stigma associated with men who avoid seeking care. The time has come for the creation of a federal Office of Men’s Health. A recognized federal focus can act as the apex of promoting healthy lifestyle, workforce safety, and male-specific research advocacy. For more information on the creation of a federal Office of Men’s Health, see H.R. 2115 “The Men and Families Health Care Act of 2009”, Hill [D-ID] and Murphy [R-PA].

By Luke Manley

We, as a species, seem to spend a great deal of time blaming others for our problems and nowhere is this truer than when referring to health.  Whether it is patients blaming doctors, doctors blaming government, government blaming insurance companies, the finger is always pointed at someone else.  This is something that needs to change.  Refreshingly, we’ve heard a lot from our current president about personal responsibility, especially regarding men taking responsibility for their families, children, and their health.  Well in honor of President Obama and our new Era of Responsibility I have something that will help you to do all three at once.

There has been a lot in the news recently about the human papillomavirus or HPV.  Maybe you’ve heard that it has no effect in men and that it’s only a disease that has consequences in women. The first problem with that line of thinking is that it’s just flat out wrong.  HPV is currently one of the most widespread viral diseases, with research from the Guttmacher Institute estimating there are 5.5 million new cases per year, that the virus accounts for one-third of all new STD infections, and that almost 75% of people between the ages of 15 and 49 have contracted the disease at some point.  According to the CDC, there are in fact over 40 strains of sexually transmissible HPV (more than 100 altogether), many of which can cause a number of serious health problems in men, including genital warts and penile and anal cancers.  Those are frightening statistics.  However, it is indeed true that existing research has shown that for the vast majority of men, infection with the HPV virus shows no signs or symptoms and will most likely carry no direct consequences.  Genital warts are rare, with only 1% of American men infected and penile and anal cancers only affecting 1 in every 100,000 men.  So that is good news, right?  Nothing to worry about?  Wrong.

The second issue with the not-my-problem approach to HPV is of course that as any man who has ever been in a serious relationship knows, regardless of what your woman’s crisis is, it ultimately becomes your problem as well.  Remember, as 21^st Century men we are more knowledgeable, concerned, worldly, and with a greater emotional range than our fathers and grandfathers.  This is important because while it might be of little personal consequence, HPV has tremendous effects on the health and well-being of our wives, mothers, girlfriends, sisters, and daughters. Left untreated, chronic HPV infection has shown to have an indisputable link to the development of cervical cancer in women.  Just in the United States alone, the American Cancer Society estimates that each year over 12,000 cases will be reported and more than 4,000 women will die due to cervical cancer.  As the U.S. is a diverse nation and to avoid ethnocentrism it is equally as important to note that the number skyrockets when you look outside the U.S.  Globally, cervical is the 3^rd most common cancer and will strike nearly half a million women and kill almost a quarter of a million.  The Guttmacher Institute found that 80-85% of these deaths occur in developing nations and most often in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

So this is the point where you may be a little confused.  There is no test for you to determine whether or not you have HPV and even if you knew your infection status, the vaccine is not approved for your use.  Additionally, the only surefire way to avoid spreading the virus is to not have sex, so how can you help?  Given the rates of infection mentioned previously, the best step you can take is to simply take responsibility for the fact that you most likely are infected (and if you’ve ever had a cold-sore you definitely are). Encourage the women in your life to get routine Pap screenings if she is under 30 years old and the HPV test also if she is 30 or older.  The worst crime is that, for women, detection of HPV infection is reliable, cheap, simple, and effective (90%) in identifying warning signs of early-stage cervical cancer and cervical dysplasia (precancerous cervical cells).  These screenings, known as Pap tests have been responsible for a 74% reduction in cervical cancer deaths.  Beyond that it should be obvious for enlightened Era-of-Responsibility-Man; limit your sexual partners and choose those who do so as well, avoid sexual contact if you do have visible warts, and for goodness sakes wear a condom.  While it is not as effective against HPV as it is against other STDs, it still works and honestly if you’re still not using a condom, there’s little hope for your joining those of us in the 21^st Century.  Feel free to ward off HPV through grunting, pounding your chest, and throwing your excrement.  Let us know how it works.

“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world…”

-       President Barack Obama

The Guttmacher Report on Public Policy

August 2003, Volume 6, Number 3. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/06/3/gr060304.html

HPV and Men: CDC Fact Sheet. 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/STD/HPV/HPV&Men-Fact-Sheet.pdf

The digene HPV test: FAQs for Men. 2009. http://www.thehpvtest.com/About-HPV/FAQs-for-Men.html