Don’t Wait for Symptoms: Doctors Urge Prioritizing Preventive Care During Men’s Health Month
Cartersville, Ga. – With many diseases, symptoms often don’t appear until later stages—when conditions are more serious and harder to treat.During Men’s Health Month in June, Piedmont is urging men to take a proactive approach to their health by prioritizing regular screenings and annual physicals.
According to a 2022 survey, men are significantly less likely than women to seek medical care or report symptoms. Only 60 percent of men receive an annual physical, and 40 percent say they don’t visit a healthcare provider until something is wrong. As a result, men are more likely to develop chronic conditions that could have been prevented or detected earlier.
“Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Preventive care can help detect issues early—when they’re easier to treat and outcomes are better,” said Kyle Taylor, M.D., Piedmont Primary Care at Cartersville.
Dr. Taylor recommends the following key screenings for men:
- Annual physical: By checking vital signs like blood pressure, weight, and heart rate, physicians can often detect early warning signs of chronic conditions. Routine checkups also allow your provider to recommend preventive care, screenings, and vaccines tailored to your health history.
- Heart disease risk assessment: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among men over 40. Regular monitoring of blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight can help reduce risk and prevent serious complications.
- Colorectal cancer screening: The American Cancer Society recommends beginning regular screenings at age 45 for those at average risk. Early detection significantly improves outcomes.
- Lung cancer screening: Recommended annually for adults ages 50 to 80 with a significant smoking history who currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years.
- Prostate cancer screening: As the second-most common cancer in men in the U.S., prostate cancer screening should be discussed with a healthcare provider based on age and individual risk factors.
Doctors also encourage men to prioritize mental health screenings, which can often be completed during a primary care visit, as well as skin cancer checks and additional screenings based on personal and family history.
A primary care provider can help determine which screenings are appropriate and create a personalized plan to support long-term health.
About Piedmont
Piedmont is empowering Georgians by changing health care. We continue to fuel Georgia’s growth through safe, cost-effective, high-quality care close to home through an integrated health care system that provides a hassle-free, unified experience. We are a private, not-for-profit organization that for centuries has sought to make a positive difference in every life we touch in the communities we serve. Across our 2,000 physical locations we care for more than 4.5 million patients and serve communities that comprise 85 percent of Georgia’s population. This includes 27 hospitals, 122 immediate care locations, 1,875 Piedmont Clinic physician practices and more than 3,900 Piedmont Clinic members. Our patients conveniently engage with Piedmont online, as they scheduled more than 657,000 online appointments and over 239,000 virtual visits. With more than 50,000 care givers we are the largest Georgia-based private employer of Georgians, who all came for the job, but stayed for the people. In 2024 and 2023, Piedmont has earned recognition from Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and also as one of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women. In 2022, Forbes ranked Piedmont on its list of the Best Large Employers in the United States. Piedmont provided more than $844 million in community impact in Fiscal Year 2025.
For more information, or to book your next appointment, visit piedmont.org.
