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But they also shun doctors and, when they do look for help, are sometimes already very ill.
To encourage them to seek treatment, and push more medical professionals to branch out into men's health, several doctors have set up the Institute for Men's Health, a first for Singapore.
The institute, currently housed at Gleneagles Medical Centre in Napier Road, will develop publicity programmes and drive research into conditions like erectile dysfunction.
'Men usually think they are invincible and do not ask for help. They should start taking charge of their health,' urged Professor Peter Lim, president of the Society for Men's Health here.
And it is not just the men who are on the losing end when they ignore their health.
When they fall ill or die, 'women and children bear the brunt', said Dr Teoh Seng Hin, who specialises in gynaecology at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.
Men lag behind women when it comes to major markers of health. Last year, male life expectancy was 78 years and females, 83. Men are also 3.4 times more prone to heart disease than women and three times more likely to have cirrhosis of the liver.
The new institute will be launched officially on Monday and have five to 10 staff members. In addition to encouraging men to seek help, it hopes to push for more health-care policies for them.
There are national-level schemes in place to cater to women's health, such as breast and cervical cancer screening programmes, but none for men, said Professor Chin Chong Min, vice-president of the Singapore Urological Association.
Currently, programmes for men, such as prostate cancer screening, are still being spearheaded by non-profit groups.
The medical school curriculum also lacks emphasis on the growing field of men's health care, said Prof Chin. And there is a shortage of doctors and clinics who specialise in men's health.
Gynaecologists and obstetricians are the 'custodians of women's health' but men do not know whom to turn to when they have health problems, Prof Lim pointed out.
The institute hopes to build up a pool of specialised general practitioners, offering practising doctors diplomas and degrees in men's health. It will run the programmes in partnership with universities in Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The institute will be launched at The Third Japan-Asean Men's Health and Ageing Conference, to be held here from Monday to Wednesday. The gathering, part of which will be open to the public, will address topics such as prostate cancer and male menopause.
Guys, beware
A STRAW poll of general practitioners last week revealed that the top health concerns for men here are:
Men are advised to get screened for:
Typically, men should go for regular screenings after the age of 40. This is even more important if they have a family history of certain illnesses.
