Keeping Health Care Access a Priority During Men’s Health Month

Many of us will be celebrating Father’s Day this coming Sunday, whether it’s honoring our own fathers, husbands or brothers, or being recognized by our own children on this dad-centric day. It comes as no coincidence that as we focus on men this time of year, we also focus on their health. June is Men’s Health Month, seeking to increase awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases in boys and men.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites heart disease and cancer as leading causes of death among men in the U.S. This includes the Native American men that Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) serves on the reservations, some of whom have a lifespan 20 years less than the average male due to their remote locations and limited access to proper nutrition and health care.

PWNA’s health services support hundreds of reservation programs that address preventative care, home health visits and health education initiatives for tribal members. This includes supporting programs that focus specifically on men’s health, such as:

• A men’s cancer class in South Dakota
• A men’s health conference in Arizona
• Residential care for men living in shelters for veterans, the homeless, disabled, etc.

As you celebrate the men in your life this month – and encourage their health – consider making a donation to PWNA’s health services in their honor. Increasing access to health care is an impactful way to participate in Men’s Health Month, as well as a critical service to those living on remote reservations isolated from mainstream care.