Local Men More Likely Than Other FL Men To Die Of Some Cancers

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doctor with chart health

Volusia County, FL- Statistics compiled by the Florida Department of Health show that men in Volusia County have higher death rates from some types of cancer than men any other county in Florida.

Men here are more likely to die from colorectal, lung and prostate cancer and they also have higher death rates from diseases like stroke, heart disease and diabetes.

The statistics also show that men living in the 32114 zip code of Daytona Beach fare even worse than the rest of the county. The incidence of colorectal cancer is 10 times higher and stroke rates are nearly 13 times higher.

DOH-Volusia is encouraging everyone to help build awareness of men's health, saying that awareness is the first step to becoming healthier. They suggest Father's Day, which is June 19, as a good day to encourage the men that you know to make a doctor appointment.

Thomas Bryant III, DOH-Volusia planning and performance management director, has some ideas on why there is such a disparity. “There are a variety of reasons why disparities in chronic disease exist among races and geography,” Bryant said. “Access to healthcare and the ability to pay for it are only two of the many factors that affect the health of a community. The social determinants of health such as where you live, work, play, learn and age influence the conditions impacting our quality of life.”

To help you find out more about health care resources in Volusia, the United Way offers the 2-1-1 Volusia-Flagler/First Call For Help. The free, confidential service gives people in need of community services direction and support. You can find the link to get the information online by clicking here.

Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2016.