The well male exam: Key components for comprehensive preventative care
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Abstract
Currently, guidelines are lacking a direction for what a comprehensive well male exam must include. The purpose of this article is to help guide primary care providers in performing relevant individualized exams to male patients. Data show that men are less likely than women to seek primary care, especially if care is likely to carry a recurring cost such as yearly examinations. Thus, well male examinations must be individualized to each patient utilizing evidence-based methods to efficiently and cost effectively identify patient needs, with the ultimate goal of reducing morbidity and mortality. The well male examination begins with a thorough history emphasizing sexual history and risk stratification of STI exposure, especially HIV. Tobacco and alcohol use, immunization status and chronic health conditions are also assessed. Screening measures must also be adapted based on individual risk with exceptions to conditions such hypertension and dyslipidemia which all men should be evaluated for. Current guidelines/recommendations from sources including JAMA, USPSTF, AAFP, CDC and the AUA were reviewed and summarized. Providers considerations, regarding lifestyle counseling on ethanol/tobacco use and sexual practices, firearm/weapons access, mental health screenings, suicide stratification risk, age specific screenings, cancer screenings and physical exam techniques including prostate/genital exams, cardiac/pulmonary exams, abdominal exams, and integumentary exam are all summarized according to recent medical guidelines. Lastly, an all-inclusive well male exam checklist was created to assist providers in not missing any component of examination regardless of life stage.
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Research completed in the Department of Physician Assistant, College of Health Professions
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v. 17