04-R 090

2004 -- S 2846

Enacted 02/11/04

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

MEMORALIZING CONGRESS TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF MEN'S HEALTH

Introduced By: Senator Leo R. Blais

Date Introduced: February 11, 2004

     WHEREAS, Male morbidity and mortality from preventable causes is substantial, with

significant and alarming disparities among subpopulations of men based on race, ethnicity and

socioeconomic status; and

     WHEREAS, A silent health crises is affecting the health and well being of American

men; and

     WHEREAS, This health crisis is of particular concern to men but is also a concern for

women, especially those who have fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers; and

     WHEREAS, The National Center for Health Statistics has shown that men have higher

age-adjusted death rates than women for each of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United

States; and

     WHEREAS, Men are almost twice as likely as women to die from heart disease and the

incidence of stroke is over 10% higher in men than in women; and

     WHEREAS, Men are 50% more likely to die of cancer than women; and

     WHEREAS, The life expectancy gap between men and women has steadily increased

from one year in 1920 to 5 ½ years in 2000; and

     WHEREAS, Since women live longer and tend to marry men older than themselves, 7

out of 10 “baby boom” women will outlive their husbands – many of whom can expect to be

widows for 15 to 20 years; and

     WHEREAS, Compared with men; older women are three times more likely to be living

alone, are nearly twice as likely to reside in a nursing home, and are more than twice as likely to

live in poverty; and

     WHEREAS, More than one-half the elderly widows now living in poverty were not poor

before the death of their husbands; and

     WHEREAS, Studies show that the huge disparity between men and women is due in part

to a lack of awareness, poor health education and the low number of male-specific health

programs. Men are one-half as likely as women to visit a doctor for regular physician check-ups

or to obtain preventative screening tests for serious diseases; and

     WHEREAS, Men’s health is also a concern for employers who lose productive

employees as well as pay the cost of medical care; and

     WHEREAS, Men’s health is also a concern for Federal and State governments and

society which absorb the enormous costs of premature death and disability, including the costs of

caring for dependents left behind; and

     WHEREAS, Every state has formed a commission to address women’s issues or has

established a women’s health program, but only seven states have a commission to address men’s

issues or a men’s health program; and

     WHEREAS, Educating men, their families and health care providers about the

importance of early detection of male health problems can result in reducing rates of mortality of

male-specific diseases as well as improve the health of America’s men and its overall economic

well-being; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby acknowledges the importance of men’s health issues and advocates support of men’s

health activities so that existing government health networks can be utilized to increase the health

and well being of men; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate supports and encourages national, state and local efforts to

secure access and remove barriers to healthcare for men and their family members by supporting

existing federal legislation (S. 1028 & H.R. 1734) and the passage of state legislation addressing

men’s health issues; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the members of the Rhode Island Congressional

Delegation to the Congress of the United States.

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LC01811

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