The Taiwan Urological Association on Thursday last week said it is launching a “Keep a Check on Men’s Health” event throughout this month to raise awareness of conditions that disproportionately affect men.
At least 17.7 percent of men older than 40 — about 1 million people in Taiwan — experience some form of erectile dysfunction, association director Pang See-tong (馮思中) said, adding that only 10 percent of those afflicted are willing to seek medical help.
Many urological diseases might not be lethal, but they can affect one’s social activities or family life, and unwillingness to seek medical help can harm men’s health, Pang said.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Urological Association
Taiwanese men have a higher rate of being diagnosed with various cancers, with prostate cancer being the fifth-most-common cancer afflicting men, he said.
On average, there are 7,115 new prostate cancer cases each year, he said.
The male-to-female ratio of bladder cancer for those older than 60 stands at 2.7 to 1, and the male-to-female ratio of renal cancer, often found to afflict people aged 40 to 70, is 1.5 to 1, Pang said.
Men are also more prone to developing kidney stones than women in Taiwan, with about 14 percent of the male population suffering from kidney stones, compared with 4 percent of females, he said.
The association’s Health Policy and Public Affairs Committee director Ou Yen-chuan (歐宴泉) said urology involves more than just prostate issues, as it also includes kidneys, ureter, bladder, urethra and testes.
The public needs to become more aware of male health issues, Ou said, adding that the association is launching the event this month to achieve that.
It will include seminars and talks, as well as free health examinations, in hopes of raising awareness, he said.
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