June is National Men’s Health Month

With Father’s Day quickly approaching, it’s time to spend some time focused on America’s dads.

While all of June is observed as National Men’s Health Month, the week that ends on Father’s Day is a special period recognized by Congress as Men’s Health Week. The Week was signed into law by President Clinton in 1994. This year, Men’s Health week runs from June 13 through June 20.The purpose of National Men’s Health Month and Men’s Health Week is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. The focus on men’s health during this period gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.Six out of 10 people with hearing loss are men. And more than 34 million people in the United States have a hearing loss. Unfortunately, hearing loss remains one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in the United States today. The majority of those experiencing the negative effects of unaddressed hearing loss are men.Hearing health is an important part of a man’s life. Not only does it affect his quality of life and well being, but it also affects his relationships and earnings. Untreated hearing loss negatively affects household income, on average, by nearly $23,000 per year, depending on the degree of loss. Fortunately, wearing a hearing aid can mitigate the impact on income by about 50 percent. And there are simple things that men can do to protect their hearing before it becomes a problem. Listening to their iPods at no more than 50 percent maximum volume and wearing earplugs while at rock concerts, using power tools, and riding motorcycles are just two examples.