“For some reason, men are less likely to want to go to the doctor. There’s a reluctance. We need to encourage men to understand the importance of preventative health screenings,” said Modlin.
By JAMES W. WADE III
Staff Reporter
The 10th Annual Minority Men’s Health Fair is Thursday, April 26th from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus,GlickmanTower. This is a milestone year for the hospital and Dr. Charles Modlin.
Modlin’s brain child began when he wanted to focus on getting help for Black men to have a place to come for prostate cancer. The Minority Men’s Health Center was created in an effort to focus on prostate cancer and renal transplantation in African American men, where there are striking differences in disease and incidents.
However, future endeavors are underway to expand the array of treatments and outcomes for a variety of conditions and diseases to treat all minorities. The first one only drew 35 people but has grown to have thousands attend each year.
They are offering free comprehensive health screenings, and more, including dental screenings, vision and hearing assessments, screenings for hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, hepatitis C, HIV, prostate cancer, skin cancer, skin disorders, glaucoma, lung health, body composition and obesity, wellness, bone health, heart disease, mental health and other screenings, including sports health information.
In addition, they are offering free general health assessments by primary care doctors and urologic health assessments by urologists at the Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute.
They have over 350 volunteers from Cleveland Clinic and other organizations ready to perform the screenings. Each year their screenings detect a number of serious medical conditions that the men previously were unaware existed. Early detection of disease can be lifesaving in many situations because detection of diseases in early stages is more likely to be treatable and curable and also by modification of risk factors for disease, many serious medical conditions can be avoided.
“For some reason, men are less likely to want to go to the doctor. There’s a reluctance. We need to encourage men to understand the importance of preventative health screenings,” said Modlin.
At the health fair this year, as part of the Campaign to Strength the ability of Black Men to care for their children, they also have pediatricians available to provide men with important information that they need to know to keep their children healthy, i.e. information regarding recommended and important childhood immunizations, nutrition, disease prevention, etc.
“African-American males, for example, need to start screening a full decade earlier than white males for prostate cancer because there’s a two times greater incidence of death from prostate cancer.” said Modlin.
The Clinic offers weekly services through its Minority Men’sHealthCenter. Services for the event held every Wednesday are not free, but costs are based upon income and household size.
You don’t have to register online, but it’s recommended. Although this fair targets the disparities of minority health, men of all backgrounds are encouraged to attend.
The free health fair is at GlickmanTower, located at 9500 Euclid Avenue.
