Healthy New Year

Schedule your preventive screenings – make 2020 your healthiest year yet!

“Health screenings are a way for patients to get a head start on health issues that could become something more serious,” said Teresa Lucas, BSN, RN, population health coach at CHI Saint Joseph Health Partners. “They are a simple but effective way to be proactive about your health.”

Based on your age, here are the screenings you should receive.

In your 20s and 30s

Women should receive Pap tests every three years to screen for cervical cancer until age 30, and then they should be screened every five years with the addition of HPV screening. Everyone should have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked annually to monitor their heart health, as well as undergo a yearly skin cancer screening.

In your 40s

Both men and women should be screened for diabetes and colorectal cancer starting at age 45, and women should begin receiving mammograms by age 40.

In your 50s

Men should begin screening for prostate cancer by age 50. If you are between the ages of 55 and 74 and currently smoke or have recently quit, ask your provider if you qualify for a lung cancer screening.

“Make annual wellness visits a priority,” Lucas said. “They are an opportunity for you to touch base with your providers and alert them of any health changes or concerns.”

A provider can help you develop a screening schedule that is right for you. If you need a provider, visit our online Provider Directory or call 859.313.2255 to speak with a member of our provider referral team.

A version of this article originally appeared in the Winter 2020 edition of Spirit of Health. For more stories like this one, subscribe to Spirit of Health magazine today.