NEW YORK (Reuters Health) — Teenage boys who believe men should be strong and silent may be less likely to see the doctor for needed preventive care, a study has found.The research, which followed more than 1,600 US males ages 15 to 19, found that those who held to traditional views of what constitutes a “real man” were less likely to have had a routine doctor visit in the past year.

The findings suggest that these boys think that seeing a doctor is a sign of weakness, the study authors report in the journal Pediatrics.

This is significant, the researchers say, because experts recommend that all teenagers make annual visits to the doctor for a routine physical and preventive healthcare — including immunisations for conditions like tetanus and hepatitis B, and screening tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

But research suggests that boys often stop seeing their doctor as they get older, typically around the age of 15. The new findings appear to be the first to suggest that boys’ attitudes about masculinity might be one reason.

That would be consistent with what’s been seen among adult men, according to lead study author Dr. Arik V. Marcell, an adolescent medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

In general, he noted, men are much more disconnected from the health system than women, who typically see health providers for family planning, pregnancy and paediatrician visits with their children.

“Talking about healthcare is not something males do very well,” Marcell told Reuters Health.

But talking just might get more boys to the doctor’s office, he and his colleagues found. Among the 1,677 teens in their study, those who said they’d discussed sexual health with their parents were more likely to have been to the doctor in the past year than boys who hadn’t had such talks.

What’s more, fathers’ involvement in those discussions appeared particularly important; boys who spoke only with their mothers were not more likely to see a doctor for a check-up.

The findings suggest that parents, and especially fathers, can sway their sons’ behaviour by talking openly about health and healthcare, Marcell said. This can help teach them that “talking about things and seeking help” are a normal part of being a man, he explained.

And though it might be uncomfortable, Marcell noted, it’s particularly important to talk about reproductive health, including STDs, birth control and pregnancy.