ROBERT PIERCE

   • Leader & Times

The thermometer seemingly reaches triple digits on a daily basis during the Southwest Kansas summer, and the conditions find many outdoors enjoying the warm weather and getting exercise.

June is National Men’s Health Month and Great Outdoors Month, and Southwest Medical Center Trauma Coordinator Katie Coleman said, among other things, the month is a good time to educate about the stigma that goes with men’s health.

“It’s as important for them to be as healthy as your children and women,” she said. “Making sure you’re getting routine checkups and blood draws and don’t wait until it’s too late.”

For men, cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., and Coleman said men are more likely than women to have a heart attack, adding strokes are the fifth leading cause of death. Also among common health problems for men are prostate cancer and thyroid issues.

This, she said, emphasizes the need to get checked out, and there are many other health issues common in men.

“One in two men in the U.S. have high blood pressure,” she said. “Fifty percent of men die suddenly of heart disease that’s had no previous symptoms.”

Coleman said this is why heart disease is called the silent killer, and it further emphasizes the need to get tested.

“It’s important to get those routine labs, annual checkups, not only for physical, but mental,” she said. “Mentally, a long time ago, it was a stigma that men couldn’t seek mental health help.”

Coleman said much of the mental side of health revolves around childhood trauma.

“We’ve all had some sort of childhood trauma happen, and that affects how we are as an adult,” she said. “Even mentally, it’s encompassing a whole thing physically and mentally.”

Coleman said, though, many men and forget the importance of taking care of themselves. She added Liberal has great resources to help with this.

“We have the health department,” she said. “We have Genesis Family Health. There are avenues. We have the Health Fair at a discounted price. Yes you need someone to look up at those labs, but that would be a start for someone who is low income on a budget, doesn’t have insurance.”

In today’s world, men have become more proactive about managing their health, and Coleman said this is based on more education being available, as well as platforms to reach people on such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“I think a lot of young people are starting,” she said. “They’re recording themselves at the gym on TikTok. Someone else sees it and says, ‘I want to be like him,’ and they start going to the gym. I don’t really know the foundational basis, but my hope is we’re getting education out, presenting education and what you can do. That’s having an impact on the younger generation.”

June was designated as Great Outdoors Month in 2019 by the U.S. Senate, and Coleman said that designation gives people even more reason to get outside.

“It’s important to use that excuse to get out and see Kansas, see our country, get more active,” she said. “That helps maintain our health. You also want to think about safety – grilling safety, fishing safety, campfire safety.”

Today’s world also sees less time being spent by children in the outdoors, with less than 40 minutes per week being spent outside, a statistic Coleman found astonishing.

“Children spend less than 40 minutes per week outside,” she said. “I found that very astonishing. It’s crazy we don’t spend that much time outside anymore.”

There are many things people need to be mindful of in the outdoors, and a large part of that focuses on campfire safety.

“A lot of us like to use the fire pits in our backyard,” Coleman said. “We like to make s’mores and things like that, but just remember nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by people, and especially with us having so many fires recently, being mindful that your fire’s out, you maintain a safe distance from that fire.”

Coleman said measures also need to be taken with grilling, always a favorite during the summer season, including grill cleaning and maintaining a safe distance from the fire. She added June and July are the peak time for grill fires, with 15 percent occurring during those months.

“Gas grills were involved in an average of 9,235 home fires per year from 2020 to 2024,” she said.

Hydration is important with any outdoor activity, as is having a first aid kit, and with fishing and camping, Coleman said those are particularly important.

In addition to maintaining a safe distance from the fire, Coleman said people also need to remember even if a fire is out, it is likely still hot, and they should be careful not to touch it.

Above all else, Coleman said people should have a plan in place for outdoor activities, especially when it comes to fire and grilling

“If something was to happen, do your kids know what to do?” she said. “If you’re grilling or you’re messing with the fire pit, do your kids know how to call 911? Do your kids know you don’t put water on the kitchen fire? It’s just simple things to remember and educate your children about.”

Coleman said much of safety in the outdoors is common sense.

“If you’ve been doing it long enough, you already know those safety things like with fishing,” she said. “You know how to handle your bait and your hook. The biggest concern is grilling and making sure it’s not under your porch, making sure the kids are back and not playing with the propane tank.”

With walking, hiking and jogging just a few of the activities people can enjoy, Coleman said she does feel there is a connection between Men’s Health Month and Great Outdoors Month.

“Get outdoors, and that will help your health,” she said.

Likewise, Coleman said it is important for people to educate themselves about both men’s health and the great outdoors.

“As we move forward, making sure we maintain those preventative measures to make sure we’re here for our grandchildren, children’s and parents milestones is important,” she said. “It is important for both of them to be talked about.”