The Austrian Cancer Society is to devote this year’s special campaign to cancer in men.
Under a title which translates as ‘cancer is also man thing’, prominent personalities from art, culture, media, economics and medicine stepped before the Austrian media to promote preventative medical examinations.
The 2004 campaign was prompted by the ignorance of the men. ‘Studies prove that the “strong” sex “strongly” omits preventative medical examinations,’ said the president of the Austrian Cancer Society, Professor Paul Sevelda.
The first Austrian Men’s Health Report shows that men are sick half as often as women with malignant tumours but die from them twice as often. A goal of this year’s cancer society prevention campaign is to improve Austrian men’s awareness of the dangers of late diagnosis.
Prominent men from art, culture, media, economics and medicine have been appealling directly to men in individual TV spots: ‘When did you last go to your physician? Go. I do. Because of my love for life.’
The campaign was financially supported in 2003 by the federal ministry for health and women. This year it is the federal ministry for social security, health and consumer protection to which the thanks go.
E-Mail is already used to remind 100,000 women and men about preventative medical examinations.
Men:
• Monthly testicle self examination
• Annual prostate examination with the physician starting from the age of 45
• Annual stool test starting from the age of 40
• Colonoscopy every 5-7 years starting from the age of 50
• Regular Skin inspection.
Women:
• Monthly chest self investigation starting from the age of 20
• Annual cancer reduction starting from the age of 20
• Mammography starting from the age of 40 (at the latest every 2 years)
• Annual stool test starting from the age of 40
• Coloscopy every 5-7 years starting from the age of 50
• Regular skin introspection.
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