Do men hate the doctor more than women?

OK, I really want to know: do you think men are more doctor-averse than women? And WHYYYYYYY???

Where does this question come from? Well, let's say I had a Significant Other (S.O. for short hereon in.) And let's just say, hypothetically, that the S.O. had been not feeling well. Let's say he's been having trouble sleeping because of gatro-intestinal distress, from gas to heartburn. (Can we also say that I really hope the hypothetical S.O. doesn't read this particular post?)

He's missing sleep...and work, and turns out he's fearing he has cancer like his (adoptive) mom died from...and it's so bad that the S.O., who hasn't been to the doctor in the nearly six years I've known him, actually goes to the doctor.

More than that he goes for the ultrasound of his gut; he goes for the blood test; he goes for the stress test to rule out heart issues.

And then...well, find out in the extended entry...

And then...nothin' to be brief about it.

He went to the trouble to go to the doctor and go to all the tests...but he never made a follow-up call with his doctor, nor even called him to get results.

[He's not feeling all better either.]

He uses the excuse that if something were really wrong the doctor would have called him, and I suppose that's true. (Although they did call once to schedule a follow-up.)

What is up with that?

OK, never going to the doctor...I can almost understand. But to go and then just not find out any of the results?

And I talk to a lot of women who are really frustrated that they can't convince their male S.O.s to go to the doctor when they're not feeling well, let alone just for maintenance care.

Is it because it's pounded into women's heads to go get their annual exam? Is it a gender thing at all? Do you know women who are just as stubborn?

It's frustrating...I don't want to be my hypothetical S.O.'s mom and nag him to take care of himself. Why can't he just do it?

Comments

[Bob]

Guess it's a good thing you didn't refer to his as you Significant Other Boyfriend. You might have to avoid the acronym to keep this a family place . . .

Why you ask?

It's a guy thing.

eom.

[Elisa Camahort]

Snicker.

That actually took me a second...it's the end of the day.

Yeah, but can't anyone explain the guy thing?

Sigh.