MEN’S HEALTH: Online Resources Hard to Find
The "frightening disconnection between men and the health care system" has carried over to the Internet, where, even though men accounted for most of the Web's original surfers and entrepreneurs, very few sites are devoted to men's health, Marla Bolotsky of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation writes in a Los Angeles Times column. According to a recent report by the Commonwealth Fund, one-third of men do not have a regular doctor, and 82% of men report that they wait a few days to "as long as possible" before seeking necessary medical attention. However, Bolotsky identifies three sites that could help men bridge the health care gap:
- http://www.ama-assn.org: The American Medical Association's site offers online guides to men's prevention and a men's health care calendar that lists recommended screenings and immunizations. The site also has a section on common male conditions, including male pattern baldness, heart disease and enlarged prostate.
- http://ccalliance.org: The Colon Cancer Alliance's site provides statistics and other information about the disease, patient support, advocacy and links to other sites. The alliance also will match men with the colon cancer to a "cyber buddy" who also has the condition.
- http://www.healthy.net: Health World Online has "extensive natural and alternative health information, news and products," as well as conventional resources (6/5).