The City of Casper-Natrona County Health Department wants to increase the number of men it sees on an annual basis.

To help bring more men to the clinic and increase the awareness of men's health issues, the health department is participating in National Men's Health Week, which starts today and runs through Father's Day.

Men live sicker and die younger, said Rhonda Stark, a registered nurse at the health department.

Women visit the clinic on an annual basis for their pap smear exams and other screenings, but men are less likely to come in for a yearly exam, Stark said.

"If we see 20 to 30 women a week, we probably see only two to three men," Stark said. "And if they do come in, it's because they have a problem and not for screenings."

This week, the health department will have appointments for any man to get his blood pressure read, weight assessed and urine screened. There also will be a number of tests for sexually transmitted infections available.

Education will play a large role in the exams, Stark said. The health department will offer information on sexual health, birth planning and other topics.

"Since we do see a lot of women here for family planning, men are the other part," Stark said. "They are just as important in birth planning as women."

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.

If you go

What: National Men's Health Week, Monday through June 15. To celebrate, the Casper-Natrona County Health Department is offering sexual health exams for men that include height, weight, body mass index, blood pressure, urine screen, chlamydia and gonorrhea testing, rapid HIV testing and sexual health and birth spacing education.

When: Appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. People can be seen on a walk-in basis from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Where: The Casper-Natrona County Health Department at 475 S. Spruce St.

Cost: The entire exam costs $30. Immunizations are available for an extra fee.

For more information: Contact the health department at (307) 235-9340 to make an appointment.