Did you know that preventive care is the key to preventing chronic conditions that severely affect your health? Preventive health means routine care checkups to maintain good health. It also helps to detect medical conditions before they become a problem. While this can be the key to protecting your health, people don’t take it seriously. One study in 2018 showed that only 8% of adults in the United States who are 35 years and older received their recommended preventive care. But you can change that for yourself, learn what benefits you can enjoy by taking preventive care services, and what type of tests you may expect during preventive screenings and tests.

Types of tests, services, and screenings for preventive healthcare

Preventive care screenings are a highly effective healthcare method to detect chronic conditions like diabetes and heart diseases along with serious illnesses like flu and COVID-19 earlier, to provide timely treatment to cure your condition or manage it better. It also helps you make positive lifestyle choices to protect your overall health and well-being.

Your healthcare provider decides what type of screening you need based on your age, health, and family history. The most common preventive screening for adults includes:

  • Screening for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer: These screenings are useful to detect the most common cancers found in men and women. Additionally, early detection from screening helps to prevent spreading or becoming more serious.
  • Screening for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes: These screenings can detect common metabolic conditions that can easily be treatable with medication and lifestyle changes. If left untreated, it may lead to chronic disease or premature death.
  • Immunizations: This type of screening helps to detect kids, and adults, who need to be vaccinated to prevent common infectious diseases. Vaccines are usually recommended for everyone, especially people who are at risk of these infections. Vaccines like annual flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and boosters for vaccines you received as a child wear off over time.
  • Counseling: Preventive counseling helps you to manage a chronic condition by educating you about making healthy lifestyle choices, quitting smoking, or monitoring your mental health conditions with regular screening.

Preventive health services and their frequency can vary between healthcare providers; however, the most common preventive health services are:

  • Annual check-up (1 per calendar year): Your Primary Care Provider (PCP) will check all areas of your health, physical, as well as emotional. This can detect any health concerns earlier to prevent them from becoming major medical problems.
  • Flu shot (1 per year): This ensures that you stay protected from flu virus strains.
  • Mammogram (1 per calendar year, usually after the age of 40): This service includes X-rays of breast tissue to check for any signs of cancer or other abnormalities. Some health plans may also cover 3D imaging as well.
  • Colonoscopy (Generally 1 in every 10 years, after the age of 45): This screening helps to detect colon cancer.
  • Vaccinations: Usually, recommended for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, etc. to ensure you stay protected from these conditions.

How to know if preventative screening tests are right for you?

Your PCP can help you know what preventative screening tests and shots are right for you by taking into consideration things like family, history, age, sex, current health status, and more.

These screenings help you stay proactive with your health and allow you to take charge of diseases that may occur unexpectedly. It’s also beneficial to stay mindful of the state of your health.

Need preventive care services for yourself and your family, call us to learn about our preventive care services and our offers for new patients. At Doral Health and Wellness, our team of primary care physicians aims to provide the best health care and services to everyone. For more information, you can visitus at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212 or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://doralhw.org or contact us at info@mainwebsite.dialysisny.com if you have any queries. We have the best primary care doctor in Brooklyn to provide you with the best comprehensive medical care and health care services.