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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.

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