Proclaim Men's Health Week

Senate Resolution No. 1102 BY: Senator METZGER MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 10-16, 2019, as Men's Health Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Men's Health Month WHEREAS, This year the marks the 27th Anniversary of the Men's Health Network crossing a major milestone, they are celebrating 27 years of advancing men's health and wellness; since their founding in 1992, Men's Health Network remains the leading organization advocating on behalf of men, boys, fathers, and their families through educational materials and programs, health screenings, and policy initiatives; and WHEREAS, June 10-16, 2019, marks the 25th year for National Men's Health Week, which its sole purpose is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys; and WHEREAS, As we prepare to celebrate Father's Day and recognize the important men in our lives, it is critical that we bring attention to the unique health concerns that many men are faced with; on the average a man's life expectancy is almost six years less than that of a woman; we need to give particular emphasis to the importance of public awareness and education so we can improve the life expectancy of our men in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, National Men's Health Week was established by Congress in

1994 and urges men and their families to engage in appropriate health behaviors; the resulting increased awareness has improved health-related education and has helped prevent illness; and WHEREAS, The shift to prevention requires not only changes in the health care system, but also an awareness by the American public of the importance of regular visits to their physicians; and WHEREAS, Recognizing and preventing men's health problems is not just a man's issue; because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men's health is truly a family issue; and WHEREAS, Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, afflicting one out of every seven American men and killing 34,000 men every year; for African-American men, the rate of affliction is even worse; African-American men are 56% more likely to develop prostate cancer compared with Caucasian men and nearly 2.5 times as likely to die from the disease; in the past five years, the death rate for prostate cancer has grown at almost twice the death rate of breast cancer; and WHEREAS, Prostate cancer and many other health problems affecting men could be avoided if men's awareness of health screening tests were increased; heightening the awareness of preventable health problems and increasing early detection and treatment of disease would significantly improve our Nation's health, as well as save limited health care dollars; and WHEREAS, Women visit the doctor 150 percent as often as men, enabling them to detect health problems in their early stages; and WHEREAS, Significant numbers of male related health problems such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, infertility, and colon cancer, could be detected and treated if men's awareness of these problems was more pervasive; and WHEREAS, Educating both the public and health care providers about the importance of early detection of male health problems will result in reducing rates of mortality for these diseases; and WHEREAS, Appropriate use of tests such as Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) exams, blood pressure screens, cholesterol screens, etc., in conjunction with clinical examination and self-testing for problems such as testicular cancer can result in the detection of many of these problems in their early stages and increases the survival rates to nearly 100 percent; and WHEREAS, Many men are reluctant to visit their health center or physician for regular screening examinations of male related problems for a variety of reasons including fear, lack of information, and cost factors; and WHEREAS, Men who are educated about the value that preventative health can play in prolonging their lifespan and their role as a productive family member will be more likely to participate in health screenings; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 10-16, 2019, as Men's Health Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Men's Health Week; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.