Just in time for Father’s Day, a new poll finds nearly half of American men say they don’t bother to get an annual physical because they are “too busy” to schedule a doctor visit or fear getting bad news from their physician.

The survey of 1,000 men, commissioned by Orlando Health, was released in conjunction with the start of the Drive For Men's Health, a cross-country event spearheaded by two leading surgeons are traveling 6,000 miles to promote awareness on various men's health topics.

Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, co-founder of the Drive for Men's Health and co-director of the PUR (Personalized Urology & Robotics) Clinic at South Lake Hospital, affiliated with Orlando Health, notes that men die younger than women. Yet men are half as likely to get an annual checkup, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Stats speak for themselves: Men live 5 years less than women. Men die of the top 9 [of] 10 causes of death in the US.  We need to do a better job of taking care of ourselves,” he tells Newsmax Health. “Guys, we need to get healthier!

“And the only way to stay on top of our health is by eating better, getting more active, and getting your routine screening tests with your health care provider. We may look good externally but internally there may be things we are missing.”

As an example, Brahmbhatt notes he recently diagnosed testicular cancer in a patient of his — a fit fireman, who had no obvious outward signs of the tumor — after a routine physical examination.

“Internally he had a bump on his testicle that eventually turned out to be testicular cancer,” he says. “These one-hour visits may help you live a healthy century of life. I know it sounds simple but it’s the reality — spending a few hours on your health could lead to decades of benefit in the future. So guys, drop your excuse!”

The Orlando Health poll — an online survey conducted between April 19 and ¬21 — and involved 2,042 U.S. men, ages 18 and older. Pollsters found the top excuses men make for not making a yearly doctor’s visit are:

•    I’m too busy to go (22 percent).
•    I’m afraid to find out what might be wrong (21 percent)
•    I don’t want to get uncomfortable body exams (18 percent).

The survey also found that younger men (ages 18-44) were far more likely to make an excuse than men over 45 years old.

Last year, a similar poll conducted by Orlando health found more than 80 percent of men can tell you the make and model of their first car, but only about half can remember the last time they went to the doctor for a check-up.