Which Do Men Remember Best: First Car or Last Doctor Checkup?
“Is this seriously even a question?,” you may be asking. Yes, and the answer is shocking. (Photo: Getty Images)
Okay men, here’s a quick two-question quiz:
Without hesitating, can you describe your first car?
And without hesitating, when was the last time you had a physical with your primary care doctor?
A survey conducted by marketing research firm Harris Interactive asked the same questions to almost 1,000 men around the country. And while more than 80 percent of them recalled the make and model of their first set of wheels, only 54 percent could remember the last time they had a check-up.
“I was actually surprised with the survey results,” Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, co-director of The Pur Clinic, tells Yahoo Health. “It’s just not something we think about or keep in our appointment books to remember. Over 80 percent of the guys were just like me. It’s amazing — we don’t have good short-term memory, but we have good long-term memory.”
He believes pleasure plays a role in this example of “selective memory.” “I think a lot of it has to do with, what’s more exciting?” he states. “Technology is more exciting. You’ll see people — mostly guys — line up for days before a new Apple launch. So what makes us feel good? Unfortunately, it’s not always thinking about our health. I think it comes down to a mindset—our minds are geared for what’s going to give us immediate reward versus thinking about the future.”
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And statistically speaking, male adults should be taking their health more seriously. It’s been reported that women outlive men by five years, on average. And the Center for Disease Control and Prevention discovered that women are entirely more likely to visit their PCP for a physical — 100 percent more likely!
This is why Brahmbhatt and his business partner, Sijo Parekattil, MD, are on a mission to change the way men view their well-being. The two urologists are embarking on a 60+ stop, 6,000 mile car trip over the next two weeks: the Drive for Men’s Health. While the guys in the area can come to check out their all-electric vehicle — the Tesla Model S — the goal is to start the conversation about men’s health, whether on the ground or via their live webcast.
“The car is just there to break down a barrier, as is the Apple watch I’m wearing,” explains Brahmbhatt. “We’ve gathered local community physicians that are advocating for men’s health—dermatologists, orthopedic surgeons, cardiologists — anybody in that area will come and talk to us live. It’s about getting these guys comfortable and within a matter of a minutes, start talking about their health and making it a priority.”
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He offers the car analogy he and Parekattil will be using on the road: “Your body is essentially like a car. In your car, if certain warning signs go on or when it’s time for a maintenance check, you get it done. Your body is the same way—if you suddenly see a rash on your skin or have a headache that’s going on for too long, those are warning signs that you should get your body checked. Not only that, but age-based preventative maintenance should be done each year.”
“The only difference between a body and a car is that you can always get a new car—you can even rent a car!” he continues. “But when it comes to your body, you only have one. So it’s even more critical that men do the things that are necessary to help themselves and eventually change the statistics.”
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