Of the 160,870 patients seen in 2011 by Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest (PPPSW), only 11% are men. This is not surprising given many people associate Planned Parenthood with women’s health services.

Something else may also be at play. In a survey conducted by the Men’s Health Network in 2004, nearly 84 percent of men say they have had their car serviced in the past year, but only 66 percent have had an annual check-up with a doctor in the same period.

Though many men put off seeing the doctor because they “feel fine,” the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have no major warning signs. Of the estimated 1.1 million Americans living with HIV, 21 percent do not know they are infected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 80 percent of the people who have the herpes simplex 2 virus (HSV-2) have no idea they are infected (and therefore unknowingly continue to spread it).

The only way to be certain you are not infected with an STI is to get tested and treated.

Given the above statistics, many women end up bearing the sexual health burden during their most sexually active years. Sexual health, however, is not just a woman’s issue.

Fortunately, a growing number of men are choosing Planned Parenthood for their sexual health care needs. Between 2008 and 2011, PPPSW saw a 35 percent increase in male patients. Planned Parenthood health centers offer an array of services for men:

• checkups for reproductive or sexual health problems
• colon, prostate, and testicular cancer screenings
• condoms and vasectomy
• erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation services, including education, exams, treatment, and referral
• general health care and routine physical exams
• jock itch exam and treatment
• male infertility screening and referral
• STI testing and treatment
• urinary tract infections testing and treatment

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), convened by the U.S. Public Health Service, recommends many of the cancer and infectious disease screenings that Planned Parenthood provides.

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Routine visits with a health care provider can help prevent serious illness. They can also diagnose and treat common conditions that affect men. For Men’s Health Month, schedule an appointment with your local Planned Parenthood for reproductive health checkups, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment.

Use the Planned Parenthood health center locator at www.planned.org to find the nearest Planned Parenthood health center that offers the services you need. Planned Parenthood works to make health care accessible and affordable. Some health centers are able to charge according to income. Most accept health insurance. If you qualify, Medicaid or other state programs may lower your health care costs. Call your local Planned Parenthood to get specific information about costs.