Gordon Clay here. October is health literacy month to address a silent crisis of epic proportions in America. The fact that American men, on average, live shorter and less-healthy lives than American women, results from low awareness, poor health education, and a lack of male-specific health programs.

An alarming proportion of American men have only limited contact with physicians and the health care system. They fail to get routine checkups, preventive care, or health counseling, and they often ignore symptoms and delay seeking medical attention when sick or in pain. When they do seek care, social taboos or embarrassment can prevent them from openly discussing health concerns with their physicians.

Men's devotion to the workplace is also partialy to blame since men are less likely to take time off work for health related issues. Their reluctance to make timely health care visits, however, is not only a function of work and time, but also the way our culture socializes boys from the earliest age to tough it out and become "big boys who don't cry."

This points to a need for expanded efforts to address men's special health concerns and risks and their attitudes toward health care. Because men have irregular contact with doctors, they often do not receive any preventive care for potentially life-threatening conditions.

Men. It's time to learn the skills necessary to negotiate the health care system and seek out preventitive care. Become a more informed and active participant in your own medical and mental health needs so that you can live a healthier life and age with security and dignity. As the Fram Oil Filter commercial used to say: "Pay me now or pay me later." Hopefully that happens before a total break-down.