DES MOINES, Iowa — June is Men's Health Month.
It's a month where doctors bring awareness to preventable health problems men face, encouraging them to make regular checkups and live a healthier lifestyle.
"Traditionally men have not been as faithful about doing routine health maintenance as women have," Dr. Larry Severidt, director of medical education at Boradlawns Medical Center, said.
Severdit said getting men to come into the office for regular checkups can be a hurdle, but one that should not exist. That's because regular doctor visits can lead to early detection of diseases or conditions and help save lives.
45-year-old Vansickel told Local 5 it's been a while since his last physical, joking it happened during his last year of high school in 1994.
He did see a doctor last year, but that was only because he was having a medical emergency.
"I don't get sick often so it's out of sight out of mind," Vansickel said. "You don't think about it and you just go when you go."
That's not a good position to have, according to Severidt.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force says a man between the ages of 18 to 40 who is healthy and not obese should have a regular checkup every three to five years.
But, Severidt said a man over 40 like Vanseickel should go to the doctor between one and two years. This is to be proactive and potentially catch diseases like prostate cancer.
"If you're African American you're at a higher risk for prostate cancer," Severidt said. "And if you have a first-degree relative so if your brother or your father had prostate cancer, then you're at higher risk."
He noted to test for prostate cancer you can take a blood test or have a rectal exam, or do both to be safe since sometimes the blood tests can have a false positive.
Severidt also suggested when men get regular checkups to check for issues like low testosterone or colon cancer. One way to get men into having regular checkups and move past having nervous thoughts of coming in is building better relationships with patients.
Broadlawns Medical Center will be holding free prostate cancer screenings on June 8 and June 22.