HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 85

46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2004

INTRODUCED BY

Terry T. Marquardt

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO PASS S. 1028 AND H. R. 1734, THE FEDERAL MEN'S HEALTH ACT OF 2003, WHICH AMEND THE FEDERAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT AND ESTABLISH AN OFFICE OF MEN'S HEALTH.

     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, life expectancy for males in New Mexico is seventy-two and eight-tenths years of age compared to seventy-seven and three-tenths years of age for women in the state and seventy-four and one-tenth years of age for males nationwide; and

     WHEREAS, a silent health crisis 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 and families; and

     WHEREAS, the national center for health statistics has shown that men have higher age-adjusted death rates than women for each of the ten leading causes of death in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the state center for health statistics has shown that men have higher death rates than women for seven of the eight leading causes of death in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, men are almost twice as likely as women to die from heart disease, the incidence of stroke is over ten percent higher in men than in women and men are fifty percent 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 five and one-half years in 2000; 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; and

     WHEREAS, men are one-half as likely as women to visit a doctor for regular physician checkups or to obtain preventive screening tests for serious diseases; and

     WHEREAS, men's health is also a concern for employers who lose employee productivity as well as pay the employer's portion of health care coverage costs; and

     WHEREAS, men's health is also a concern for federal and state governments, the private sector and the general public, which absorb the enormous costs of premature death and disability, including the costs of caring for surviving dependents; 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 improving the health of America's men and, as a result, the nation's overall economic well-being;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it support and encourage national, state and local efforts to secure access and remove barriers to health care for men and their family members; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature encourage the New Mexico congressional delegation to support the passage of the Men's Health Act of 2003, currently under consideration as S. 1028 and H. R. 1734; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the New Mexico congressional delegation, the department of health, the human services department, the children, youth and families department and the state agency on aging.

- 4 -