Cleveland Clinic survey reveals the impact of stress on men’s sexual and mental well-being
5 minutes read
- 83% of men say they have experienced stress in the last 6 months.
- For Hispanics, work is the main source of stress, unlike men in the United States overall, who highlight finances as a stress factor.
September 2023.- A new national survey by Cleveland Clinic highlights the disconnect between men’s perception of their health and their actual health habits.
In the survey, 81% of American men said they believe they lead a healthy lifestyle. However, the survey results show that many men’s habits and behaviours are very different.
The survey, carried out in June this year among a national sample of 1,000 American men aged 18 and over, was released as part of Cleveland Clinic’s eighth annual MENtion It® educational campaign. The campaign aims to address the fact that men often don’t mention health problems or take steps to prevent them.
Stress is a common factor among men, according to the survey results. However, it is cited, along with anxiety and depression, as one of the mental health problems for which 65% of men say they hesitate to seek professional help.
Overall, 83% of men say they have experienced stress in the last 6 months. For Hispanics, work is the main source of stress, unlike men in the United States overall, who cite finances as the primary cause.
When it comes to annual physical exams, more than half of white and Asian men are more likely to say they have them, compared with 43% of African American men who do not attend that annual appointment.
Looking after mental health is also important; just over half (56%) say they do so. When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, only half (51%) do so. Men are divided on whether they are satisfied with their weight, yet many have unhealthy lifestyle habits.
54% of Americans are not satisfied with their current weight, while 46% are happy with it. Black men are more likely to say they are satisfied with their current weight (57%) than Asian (48%) and white (44%) men.
50% say they are actively working towards their target weight. White men (51%) are more likely to say they are actively working towards their target weight than Black men (43%).
Television and social media
About a quarter of American men (27%) watch more than 5 hours of television a day on average. Black men watch 4 hours of television a day on average, more than any other race. Asian men watch just 2.5 hours a day on average, less than any other race.
Social media habits may contribute to this, as men say they spend an average of two to three hours a day scrolling through social media. Those who say they hesitate to seek professional help for mental health problems are almost twice as likely to spend five or more hours a day on social media (19%).
Sexual health
The survey also indicates that a significant proportion of American men (37%) have experienced sexual health problems. Despite this, only two in five men who have had sexual problems say they have sought professional help.
“We know there is a direct relationship between a man’s physical, mental and sexual health,” says Dr. Georges-Pascal Haber, chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Urology. “A man’s lifestyle and habits, whether positive or negative, can significantly influence his overall health.”
“The first symptoms of many serious illnesses are often urinary or sexual problems that many men hesitate to address,” says Haber. “Through the MENtion It campaign, we want to emphasise the importance of being proactive about health by having regular check-ups, vaccinations and screenings to prevent health problems or identify them at treatable stages.”
Cancer screening
According to the MENtion It survey, when it comes to cancer screening, only about half of American men have been screened for common cancers, including prostate, colorectal, skin, testicular and bladder cancer.
Prostate cancer screening is the most common among American men: 57% have been tested before. This is followed by screening for colorectal cancer (53%), skin cancer (49%), testicular cancer (47%) and bladder cancer (43%).
35% of men have never done a testicular self-exam or are not sure whether they have.
To detect possible skin cancer, 67% of men have done a self-exam. Black and Asian men are less likely to have done a skin self-exam than white men.
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical centre that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based on the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States.
U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 72,500 employees worldwide are more than 5,050 salaried physicians and researchers, and 17,800 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,500-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 21 hospitals, more than 220 outpatient facilities, and locations in northeast Ohio; southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England.
In 2021, there were 10.2 million outpatient visits, 304,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 259,000 surgeries across Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries.
Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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