| R 393 |
| 2023 -- S 1101 Enacted 06/08/2023 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING JUNE OF 2023, TO BE "MEN'S HEALTH MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Senator Dominick J. Ruggerio |
| Date Introduced: June 07, 2023 |
| WHEREAS, According to Harvard Health, as of 2022, men in the United States had a life |
| expectancy of 73.2 years, approximately 5.9 years less than women. Native American and |
| African-American males have even lower life expectancies. One of the reasons for this disparity |
| is the fact that men are often reluctant to go to the doctor, with studies showing that women go to |
| the doctor twice as often as men. Even when ill, many men will avoid seeing a doctor, with sixty- |
| five percent saying they avoid going to the doctor as long as possible; and |
| WHEREAS, Sixty percent of men do not get annual physicals and according to the |
| National Institutes of Health, and 34.1 percent of American men are overweight or obese; and |
| WHEREAS, As of 2018, the leading causes of death for men were heart disease and |
| cancer. In 2023, an estimated 288,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer making it the |
| second overall leading cause of death amongst men. In addition, mental health issues are common |
| amongst American men, with suicide ranking as the eighth leading cause of death, and the |
| Centers for Disease Control reports that males are more likely than females to die from COVID- |
| 19; and |
| WHEREAS, Many of these illnesses can be prevented or treated properly through annual |
| screenings, regular visits to a physician, and getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Men who do so |
| are better educated about their health and live longer and happier lives. Fathers who take care of |
| their health and choose to live healthier lifestyles serve as important role models for their |
| children; and |
| WHEREAS, While all of June is Men's Health Month, Friday, June 16, 2023, is "Wear |
| Blue Day" in which all organizations and individuals are encouraged to raise awareness and |
| much-needed funds to educate men about the importance of getting regular check-ups and |
| screenings to get information on health issues such as testicular and prostate cancer, as well as |
| cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, diabetes, skin cancer, and mental health well-being; now, |
| therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby proclaims June of |
| 2023, to be "Men's Health Month" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Director Utpala Bandy, MD, MPH, Interim |
| Director, Rhode Island Department of Health. |
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| LC003098 |
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