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Your Guide To Preventive Healthcare

Your Guide To Preventive Healthcare

By Irina

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The author grants permission to publish this article, in

its entirety, electronically or in print, as long as the

bylines are included. Other articles by Irina are available

from http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/articles.html

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Your Guide To Preventive Healthcare

Medical experts all agree that good health depends on

improved access to and increased use of preventive

services. With health insurance premiums being what they

are and skyrocketing even further year after year, the

first part (affordable access to quality healthcare) can

serve as a worthy subject for a whole book. Notwithstanding

the significance of the problem, it is beyond the scope of

this article. More information on getting affordable access

to quality healthcare is available from

http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/affordable.html

If you already have access to preventive services, you are

responsible, in large part, for managing your own care.

Your primary-care practitioner is your partner, but

numerous decisions of paramount importance are up to you.

The following should help to decide if you need any of the

tests listed below. You should, if possible, have a copy of

your test results and records.

These are the major screening tests (that is, routine tests

for people without symptoms) and adult immunizations. The

advice is based largely on the recommendations of the U.S.

Preventive Services Task Force. Most HMOs and Medicare

cover these services; fewer traditional insurers pay for

them. Infants, children, and pregnant women need other

kinds of preventive care not described here.

- Blood pressure measurement (to detect hypertension)

Who needs: All adults.

How often: Once every 2 years for those with normal blood

pressure.

Comments: More frequent monitoring for those with readings

of 130/85 or higher.

- Cholesterol measurement

Who needs: All adults.

How often: Once every 5 years. More often if total or LDL

("bad") cholesterol is high, HDL ("good") is low, and/or

you have risk factors.

Comments: Those at high risk for heart disease need medical

advice about life-style changes and possibly drug therapy.

- Diabetes screening (fasting blood glucose test)

Who needs: Everyone 45 and older; earlier for those at high

risk.

How often: Every 3 years.

Comments: Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans,

obese people, and those with a strong family history need

more frequent screening, starting at age 30.

- Dental checkup

Who needs: All adults.

How often: Every 6 months, or on professional advice.

Comments: Should include cleaning and exam for oral cancer.

- Tetanus/diphtheria booster

Who needs: All adults.

How often: Every 10 years.

Comments: People over 50 are least likely to be adequately

immunized.

- Hepatitis B vaccine

Who needs: All young adults, as well as adults at high

risk.

How often: On professional advice.

Comments: All newborns should be vaccinated.

- Chickenpox vaccine

Who needs: Anyone who has never had chickenpox.

How often: Once. But above age 13 it requires two shots.

Comments: Not recommended for pregnant women or those with

compromised immunity.

- Pap smear (for early detection of cervical cancer)

Who needs: All women with a cervix, starting at age 18, or

earlier if sexually active.

How often: If 3 annual tests are normal, then once every 3

years. More often if you smoke, have multiple sex partners

or other risk factors.

Comments: Some experts advise that women who have never had

an abnormal result can stop being screened after age 65.

- Breast cancer screening (mammography)

Who needs: All women 50 and over; those 40-49 should

discuss riskfactors with a doctor.

How often: Annually. Medicare reimburses for it.

Comments: Clinical breast exams are also important-consult

your doctor.

- Colorectal cancer screening (fecal occult blood test,

sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy)

Who needs: Everyone 50 and over; earlier for those at high

risk.

How often: Occult blood test annually; sigmoidoscopy every

5 years or colonoscopy every 10 years.

Comments: Digital rectal exam and X-ray with barium enema

may also be done. Medicare now pays for colonoscopy.

- Prostate cancer screening (prostate specific antigen, or

PSA, test; and digital rectal exam, or DRE)

Who needs: Blacks and men with family history, DRE and PSA

starting at age 40. For others, DRE, and possibly PSA,

starting at 50.

How often: DRE annually; PSA on professional advice.

Comments: Usefulness of PSA screening for all men remains

controversial.

- Thyroid disease screening

Who needs: Women 50 and over; those with high cholesterol

or family history of thyroid disease.

How often: On professional advice.

Comments: Routine screening remains controversial. Talk to

your doctor about risk factors.

- Chlamydia screening

Who needs: Women 25 and younger, if sexually active.

How often: Annually, or more often.

Comments: Men and women of any age who are at risk for STDs

(chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV) should be tested.

- Glaucoma screening

Who needs: People at high risk: those over 65, very

nearsighted, or diabetic; blacks over 40; those with sleep

apnea or family history of glaucoma.

How often: On professional advice of eye specialist.

Comments: Many eye specialists advise screening all adults

every 3-5 years, starting at age 39.

- Influenza vaccine

Who needs: Everyone 50 and over, people with lung or heart

disease or cancer, and others at high risk.

How often: Annually, in autumn.

Comments: Even healthy younger adults can benefit and

should consider getting the shot.

- Pneumococcal vaccine

Who needs: Everyone 65 and over, and others at high risk

for complications.

How often: At least once.

Comments: Effective against most strains of pneumococcal

pneumonia; lasts at least 5-10 years.

- Rubella vaccine

Who needs: All women of childbearing age.

How often: Once.

Comments: Avoid during pregnancy.

There are other important preventive measures not listed

above-the kind of commonsense steps that could save

millions of medical dollars and prevent injury, illness,

disability, and premature death. Here's a checklist:

- Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.

- Maintain a healthy weight.

- Get regular exercise. Brisk walking for just half an

hour every day can be a big factor in weight control and

in staying healthy.

- Choose a diet low in animal fat and sodium, and rich in

fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat

dairy products. Eat at least two servings of fish a

week.

- Keep alcohol consumption moderate: no more than one

drink daily for a woman, two drinks for a man. If you

are a heavy drinker, seek counseling, and cut back or

quit.

- Do self-exams of your breasts or testes, as well as

skin.

- Fasten seat belts, see that kids ride in proper

restraints, and obey the law. Drive sober and

defensively.

- Brush and floss to prevent dental disease.

Someday there may be one magic test that will accurately

detect anything and everything. Until then, this guide may

be useful in making the right healthcare decision for

yourself and your family.

(C) by Irina 2003.

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About the Author:

Irina helps people save money on healthcare and create

steady stream of residual income working from home

http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/

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About the Author

Irina helps people save money on healthcare and create

steady stream of residual income working from home

http://www.megaone.com/hbb/savemoney/