Share the Gift of Men's Health

Summer is a great time to build up your fitness program, enjoy fruits and vegetables, take a vacation, and have fun. It's also a time to pay attention to your health and safety.

Males are at increased risk for many injuries and health conditions due to preventable causes. Traffic accidents, poisonings, and falls are the leading causes of accidental deaths for men.

Below are tips to help you stay safe and healthy this summer and all year long.

1. Be water-savy.
In 2005, males were four times more likely than females to die from drownings in the United States. Alcohol use is involved in up to half of these adolescent and adult deaths.

Tips:
- Learn how to swim. Never swim alone.
- Wear your life jacket while boating.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages while boating.
- Watch children in and around water.
- If you have a swimming pool at your home, install a four-sided isolation pool fence.

2. Leave fireworks to the professionals.
Males are injured by fireworks more than twice as often as females. About 45% of persons injured from fireworks are children ages 14 years and younger. Injuries are most commonly associated with fire-crackers, rockets, and sparklers.

Tips:
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
- If using fireworks, have a fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire.
- Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.

3. Be safe on the road.
In 2005, 38% of male drivers ages 15-20 who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash, and 24% were drinking. Male high school students were more likely than female students to rarely or never wear seat belts. Males are about twice as likely as females to sustain a traumatic brain injury.

Drivers and passengers can cut their risk of dying in a crash by half simply by buckling up.

Tips:
- Wear a safety belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
- Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or let someone drive who is.
- Wear a helmet when riding a bike or motorcycle, skating, or playing in contact sports.

4. Prevent sexually transmitted infections.
Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS, remain a major challenge in the United States. In 2005, almost three quarters of HIV/AIDS diagnoses were for male adolescents and adults.

Tips:
- The surest way to avoid transmission is to abstain from sexual intercourse.
- Be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
- Use latex condoms. Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of certain diseases.
- Get tested.

Content Source: CDC Office of Women's Health
Department of Health and Human Services