Here are three strategies they shared.<\/p>\n
Use an analogy they can relate to<\/b><\/p>\n
Many men won\u2019t even consider going to a doctor unless something is wrong. Why? Because unlike women, who tend to seek care for reproductive health issues<\/a> earlier in life, men don\u2019t really have another reason to go.<\/p>\n \u201cParticularly for young men, the mentality is, \u2018If it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it,\u2019\u201d Ch\u00e9ry says. \u201cA lot of men also have this idea that they have to tough things out. So, if something is not really bothering them, they\u2019re not going to get it addressed.\u201d<\/p>\n To counteract this, Ch\u00e9ry suggests comparing preventive health care \u2014 such as annual physicals and cancer screenings<\/a> \u2014 with something men can relate to, such as car maintenance.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t wait to take it to the shop until there\u2019s smoke coming out from under the hood,\u201d Ch\u00e9ry notes. \u201cBecause by then, you might need a new car. Instead, you get your tires rotated, have your oil changed, and do other things periodically to keep it running well.\u201d<\/p>\n Bundle fun activities with medical visits<\/b><\/p>\n You\u2019ve heard the old maxim, \u201ca spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,\u201d right?<\/p>\n The same principle applies here. Pairing \u201cfun-to-do\u201d activities with \u201chave-to-do\u201d activities can sometimes make our obligations more tolerable because we know that something pleasant awaits us on the other side.<\/p>\n So, suggest grabbing a meal at their favorite restaurant after a doctor visit, or watching a movie they\u2019ve been wanting to see. This gives the man in your life something to look forward to, instead of just something to cross off his chore list.<\/p>\n \u201cThat can counterbalance the idea that seeing the doctor is not something they really want to do,\u201d says Ch\u00e9ry.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How to get men to the doctor<\/p>\n Root out the source of their misgivings, then offer solutions<\/strong><\/p>\n Know a man who\u2019s resistant to seeing a doctor? Open up a conversation about it. Ask him if there\u2019s a particular reason he\u2019s reluctant to go \u2014 because there may be a simple solution.<\/p>\n Here are three of the most common excuses Ch\u00e9ry hears from men about why they won\u2019t go to the doctor, and what you can say to rebut them.<\/p>\n Excuse #1: \u201cI don\u2019t want a digital rectal exam.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n A lot of men are apprehensive about prostate cancer screenings<\/a> because they typically involve a digital rectal exam. This requires a doctor to insert a gloved finger into their anus to actually feel the prostate gland through the wall of the rectum.<\/p>\n \u201cUniversally, men do not want this,\u201d says Ch\u00e9ry. \u201cSome actually fear that more than they do the cancer. But the good news is we\u2019ve shifted to a simple blood test<\/a> now to get your PSA levels<\/a> checked. So, you don\u2019t have to worry about that aspect of things anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n Excuse #2: \u201cI had a bad experience.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no doubt that having one bad experience can sour you on the idea of repeating it.<\/p>\n \u201cBut just because you go to a bad restaurant one time, you don\u2019t say, \u2018I\u2019m never eating out again,\u2019\u201d notes Ch\u00e9ry. \u201cYou just say, \u2018I\u2019m going to try a different place next time.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n So, if there\u2019s a healthcare provider you just don\u2019t gel with, find another one.<\/p>\n \u201cDon’t deprive yourself,\u201d says Ch\u00e9ry. \u201cYou\u2019re only doing yourself a disservice by not going to the doctor ever again.\u201d<\/p>\n Excuse #3: \u201cI don\u2019t have time.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Many men complain about the amount of time it takes to see a doctor. Between the travel to and from their office, the wait for an open exam room, and the visit itself, medical appointments can sometimes eat up the better part of a day.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not necessarily the case anymore, thanks to telehealth and virtual visits<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThese visits usually take less time,\u201d explains Ch\u00e9ry. \u201cAnd you can get that first one in with a provider to talk about things.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou could even offer, \u2018Hey, I can make the appointment for you, if that would be easier,’\u201d adds Hassan.<\/p>\n To hear the full conversation between Ch\u00e9ry and Hassan, listen to UT MD Anderson’s Cancerwise podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Cancerwise](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/xCWPodcast_Wave_Hero_2400x564.jpg.pagespeed.ic.C1xNKV8Zwn.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Cancerwise](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/xCancerwise-Podcast.png.pagespeed.ic.gLkb_vHCGs.png\")
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