AFC launches health initiative

Submitted

BIRMINGHAM, AL -- American Family Care (AFC), the nation's leading provider of urgent care, occupational medicine and accessible primary care, announced today that it has created a new health screening specifically designed for men. Called the "Man Up Checkup," the initiative was developed to address the aversion men have toward visiting their doctor.

The program is being launched in observance of National Men's Health Month. The purpose of Men's Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men. The month gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. The month is highlighted by Men's Health Week, which is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year during the week leading up to Father's Day.

Underlining the importance of the effort is a recently released survey by the Cleveland Clinic, which found:

Sixty percent of American men don't go for an annual physical.

Guys would rather talk about sports or their jobs than discuss anything to do with their health.

Nineteen percent of men admit going to the doctor only so their significant other will stop nagging.

When asked their biggest concerns, men ranked their family's well-being and financial security over health.

Often because of their busy lifestyles and fear of going to the doctor, men have become the most neglected group in society from a health care standpoint. To help, AFC is offering the Man Up Checkup seven days a week and without an appointment. The health screening features eight quick, simple tests that can help identify preventative measures for illnesses -- including heart disease, the leading cause of premature death in men in the U.S.

Specifically, the Man Up Checkup includes: Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pulse, Oxygen Saturation Levels, Temperature, Blood Pressure, Weight, Height, and Body Mass Index, Hemoglobin A1c, to screen for diabetes, Lipid Panel, including cholesterol and more

"Many men put everything in their lives ahead of their health, including their families, jobs and sometimes even their hobbies - but they have it backwards. If men put their health first, they would be better able to take care of their families and careers," says D. Bruce Irwin, M.D., founder and CEO of American Family Care. "We created the Man Up Checkup to make it as easy as possible for men to do the right thing -- to take care of themselves, so that they can tackle all of the responsibilities they face each day."

Founded by Dr. Bruce Irwin with a single location in 1982, American Family Care has pioneered the concept of non-emergency room urgent care.