In The Media

It might sound like a cliche, but men in the U.S. are not going to the doctor, and their physical and mental health is suffering.

A recent survey from the Cleveland Clinic found that nearly 40% of Gen Z men didn’t have a primary care doctor.

And the life expectancy gap between men and women is widening. That’s according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Today, we talk with physicians about the state of men’s health and what they’re learning from their male patients.

Nurse Educator is celebrating its 50^th year of publishing articles addressing faculty and students' teaching and learning needs. This podcast presents the increasing need for males to select nursing as a profession from the personal perspective of Dr. Harrell Jordan, Dean, School of Nursing, Chamberlain University. Dr. Jordan discusses his experiences as a male in nursing and the continued need to recruit more males, including males of color, into the profession.

Dr. Harrell Jordan, a male nurse in a field predominantly occupied by women, is a trailblazer for men choosing nursing as their profession. His distinctive viewpoint and dedication to enhancing the health outcomes of black American men shines through in his work. With more than five years of experience in the emergency room, he brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his patients. Dr. Jordan is a passionate supporter of culturally congruent care, a philosophy that guarantees healthcare is considerate of the cultural variations among patients. His research, which has garnered substantial acclaim, centers on the health behaviors of black American men, specifically exploring the connection between prevention strategies and masculinity. He co-authored the well-received article EXPLORING PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION AMONG BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN (2024).

Interview with University of Illinois Chicago’s “Black Excellence” podcast, sponsored by the Office of Student Success and Belonging, in partnership with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing and Communications.

Harrell Jordan, PhD '23, speaking about his passion for mentorship on UIC’s Black Excellence podcast

UIC Alumni Magazine

Black/African American (BAA) men have the lowest life expectancy among other major demographic groups in the United States, with BAA male mortality rates 40% higher than their White male counterparts. Despite known benefits of preventive health care utilization, BAA men are 43% more likely to use the emergency department for usual care. Many intersecting factors like medical mistrust and religion have been identified as common barriers BAA men face in health care utilization with few studies exploring factors that impact their current preventive health care utilization. In addition, BAA men’s perceptions of health and ability to identify or seek help have always been disproportionately lower than other racial groups despite higher rates of preventable diseases. Using the tenets of the Andersen Healthcare Utilization Model, this cross-sectional study of 176 BAA men explores BAA men’s current preventive health care practices while examining the intersection of predisposing, enabling, and need factors on BAA men’s preventive health care utilization. While it is well known that higher income levels and higher education positively influence health care utilization, the intersection of religious affiliation and higher levels of medical mistrust was associated with BAA men’s decreased engagement with health care as religion posed as a buffer to health care utilization. This study demonstrated that BAA men’s perception of health differed by sexual orientation, educational status, and income. However, across all groups the participants’ perspective of their health was not in alignment with their current health outcomes. Future studies should evaluate the impact of masculine norms as potential enabling factors on BAA men’s preventive health care utilization.