Taking care of yourself should include preventive health services offered by your doctor and/or specialist. The list below is a guideline to when and what you should get checked for.
Preventive services for ages 19-39
Schedule of visits
- Males – Every 5 years
- Females – Every 3-5 years
Screening
- A thorough individual risk assessment
- Height and weight
- Blood pressure
- Clinical breast examination (every 3 years starting at age 20)
- Blood cholesterol levels
- Pap smear (at least every 3 years after 3 consecutive annual normal results)
- In high-risk groups, sexually transmitted disease testing
Counseling and education
- Limit dietary fat, general nutrition advice
- Folic acid supplementation in women of child-bearing age
- Tobacco cessation
- Advance directives
- Drinking and driving
- Safety belts
- Contraception and safe sexual practice
- Physical activity
Immunization Recommendations
- Tetanus-diphtheria booster every 10 years
- Varicella vaccine (if you have a negative test and no history of chickenpox infection)
- Rubella vaccine (if you have a negative test)
- Hepatitis B vaccine (if not done previously)
- Influenza vaccine (optional, depends on personal preference)
- High-risk groups offered pneumococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, and hepatitis A vaccine (Ask your doctor if you qualify for any of these.)
Preventive services for ages 40-64
Schedule of visits
- Males – Every 5 years
- Females – Every 3-5 years
Screening
- Individual risk assessment
- Height and weight
- Clinical breast exam yearly
- Blood cholesterol
- Pap smear (up to every 3 years after 3 consecutive annual normal results)
- Mammogram (optional 40-49, yearly 50-75)
- Colon cancer screening
- In high-risk groups, sexually transmitted disease testing and diabetes screening
Counseling and education
- Limit dietary fat, good nutrition advice
- Tobacco cessation
- Advance directives
- Drinking and driving
- Safety belts
- Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
- Physical activity
Immunizations
- Tetanus-diphtheria booster every 10 years
- Influenza vaccine (optional)
- In high-risk groups hepatitis A and B vaccines, pneumococcal vaccine, influenza vaccine, rubella vaccine, and Lyme disease vaccine may be recommended
Preventive medications
- Daily aspirin for people with risk factors for or established heart disease
Preventive services for ages 65 and over
Schedule of visits
- Every 1-2 years
Screening
- Individual risk assessment
- Review of medications
- Height and weight
- Blood pressure
- Clinical breast examination
- Blood cholesterol
- Colon cancer screening
- Pap smear (may be performed at the mutual consent of the woman and doctor after age 65)
- Annual mammogram until age 75
- Vision testing after age 74
- Hearing testing after age 74
Counseling and education
- Limit dietary fat, good nutrition advice
- Drinking and driving
- Safety belts
- Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
- Physical activity
Immunization
- Tetanus-diphtheria booster every 10 years
- Annual influenza vaccine
- Pneumococcal vaccine
- In high-risk groups hepatitis A and B vaccines, Lyme disease vaccine
Preventive medication
- Daily aspirin in people with risk factors for or established heart disease
Source: Source: emedicinehealth.com ©2011 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors and Editors
Author: M Ruby Alvi, MD, CCFP, MHSc, Lecturer, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto; Program Director, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto.
Editors: Marian Gambrell, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University; Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine; Jerry Balentine, DO, Professor of Emergency Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine; Medical Director, Saint Barnabas Hospital.