Young Men Need Doctors Too

Men tend to ignore their health – especially those age 40 and younger. They often resist seeing a primary care doctor and use walk-in care as a band-aid when they aren’t feeling well. Bayhealth Primary Care, Smyrna Physician Rohin Saroya, MD,  is in the same age bracket – and he wants to make it clear that Ben Franklin’s words of wisdom, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is still true today. 

“Younger men often have a feeling of invincibility,” said Dr. Saroya. “I’ve had patients in their 50s who don’t come in until they’ve had a heart attack, patients with stage 4 colon cancer who haven’t seen a doctor in 30 years.”  

Dr. Saroya encourages young men to visit a primary care doctor at least once a year. It’s a way to maintain, or work toward, good health and it allows patients to build a relationship with their doctor. The more the physician knows about a patient and his family’s health history, the better. 

The annual visit is an opportunity to screen for tobacco use, alcohol consumption, drug use, and sexually transmitted diseases. Blood pressure, he explained, should be checked at least once a year to see if it’s elevated.  In addition, patients are also screened for depression and mental health issues. “There is a stigma regarding mental health. We can pick up when something is wrong. With COVID-19, we see anxiety and depression every day.”

Dr. Saroya notes that not all situations require medication. “We prefer lifestyle interventions. We look at the patient’s diet and exercise. Even losing a few pounds and lowering sodium intake can help.” Having a primary care doctor who is your champion makes all the difference. “Patients will have a physician holding them accountable,” he said. 

Young men need doctors too. That’s why Bayhealth offers a Find a Doctor service that connects community members with primary care physicians close to home. Visit Bayhealth.org/Find-a-Doctor to find a primary care physician near you.