Katlego Sekhu
Why do so many men avoid doctors until it’s serious?
After Sizwe Dhlomo admitted he rarely takes medication, the team discussed men and their approach to illness
On Monday morning, Sizwe Dhlomo noted that his throat started “feeling a bit scratchy from Friday”, but he came to work nonetheless. He admitted that he usually tries to push through when he is not feeling well.
This sparked a conversation on Siz The World about men and their relationship with doctor visits.
“Generally, when I get sick, I want to thug it out. Then somebody suggested that I take meds,” he shared.
He eventually started taking medication on Sunday and noticed a difference.
“I was fairly surprised because it worked. I started feeling better. One thing I know about us as men is that we don’t like taking meds.”
He added that he rarely visits the doctor.
“It has been 10 years since I went to the doctor because I was sick. The last time I went was when I sprained my ankle.”
His comments reflect a broader trend. A large UK-based analysis of routine consultations found that men’s consultation rates were more than 30 percent lower than women’s between the ages of 16 and 60.
The Siz The World team then posed the question to the Kaya audience: Are you the kind of person who takes medication when you are feeling sick? If not, why?
Read Next: Sizwe Dhlomo on asking for the right help
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