June celebrates the 20th anniversary of Men’s Health Month

June marks the 20th anniversary of Men’s Health Month, which is anchored by a congressional health education and screening program.

It is celebrated throughout the U.S. with special health screenings for men, health fairs and other education and outreach activities.

Women are also being urged to pay attention, as they currently make 75 percent of the health care decisions for their families. And, of course, they naturally have a significant interest in the health of their husbands, sons, fathers, brothers, uncles and other male relatives.

The goal of Men’s Health Month is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases among men and boys. The initiative focuses on giving families, health care providers, public policy makers, the media and others an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury.

Many of the activities are organized by the Men’s Health Network, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray, with health prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities and patient navigation. Information about this June’s Men’s Health events and initiatives is available online at www.menshealthmonth.org.

Each year, the response is overwhelming, with governors nationwide officially proclaiming Men’s Health Month in their states and with thousands of awareness activities across the country and around the globe.