Preventive health

What is Preventive Care?

Preventive care involves regular check-ups, screenings, counseling, and early detection of illnesses before symptoms appear. This helps catch health issues early when treatment is most effective. Making healthy lifestyle choices, like exercising and eating well, also plays a big role in maintaining good health.

Key Areas of Preventive Care

Cancer Screening

Screening helps detect cancer early. Your doctor will suggest screenings based on your age, risk factors, and health conditions.

• Age Considerations: People aged 76 without other health conditions face the same risks and benefits of cancer screening as:
  • People aged 74 with mild health conditions
  • People aged 66 with severe conditions

Prostate Cancer Screening

• Who should be screened? Men aged 55–69 years are most likely to benefit from prostate cancer screening (PSA test). Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer are at higher risk and may benefit more from screening.
• Decision Making: Talk to your doctor about the potential risks and benefits of screening to make an informed decision.

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening

• Who should be screened? Screening usually starts at age 50 and continues until age 75 for average-risk individuals.
• Screening Options:
  • Colonoscopy: Every 10 years
  • Flexible Sigmoidoscopy: Every 5 years
  • Stool tests: Every year (to check for blood)
• Family History Considerations: If you have a family history of CRC or polyps, screening may start earlier:
  • Age 40 or 10 years before the youngest family member’s diagnosis
• Special Cases:
  • FAP (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis): Start colonoscopy at puberty and continue every 1–2 years.
  • Ulcerative Colitis (UC): Start colonoscopy 8 years after diagnosis, then annually.

Breast Cancer Screening

• For Women at Average Risk: Screening with mammograms every 2 years (biennially) between ages 50–74 detects most cancers while lowering the risk of false positives.
• Life Expectancy Considerations: Women with less than 10 years of life expectancy may not benefit from screening and could face more harm than good.

Osteoporosis Screening

• Who should be screened? Women aged 65 and older or those with risk factors (low body weight, steroid use) should have a bone density test (DXA scan) to measure bone health.
• Follow-Up Scans:
  • Every 2 years for high risk
  • Every 3–5 years for low to moderate risk
  • Every 10–15 years for no risk factors and a T-score between -1.01 and -1.49

Falls and Mobility Screening

• Fall Risks: About 30% of older adults experience falls, which can lead to fractures or hospitalizations. Ask your doctor to assess your fall risk.
• Get Up and Go Test: You’ll be asked to stand, walk 10 feet, turn, and sit down. If it takes more than 16 seconds or your balance is off, you may be at risk of falling.
• Fall Prevention: Exercises like tai chi, strength training, and balance exercises can reduce fall risk.

Vitamin D Supplementation

Vitamin D may help reduce the risk of fractures, especially in older adults. Talk to your doctor about whether you should take supplements to maintain bone health.