Your Guide to Preventive Screenings By Age

Visiting the doctor annually is essential to discuss health changes and ensure that everything is working as it should. But preventive health checkups are just as crucial in finding issues like cancer and other preventable diseases.

Dr. Joseph Goin at Calvary Urgent Care in Humble, Texas, provides various primary care services, including STD (sexually transmitted disease) testing, lab work, and sports physicals. He offers preventive screening exams at different ages to determine issues early on for optimal treatment.

Women's preventive screening guide by age

Women's preventive health screenings are different from men's because they're at risk for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis after menopause. However, women and men also require similar preventive care screenings for issues that affect both sexes.

Preventive care for women starts in childhood with vaccines, eye and hearing exams, and STI prevention. As women age, more screenings are necessary, and they include:

Age 21 to 39

Between the ages of 21 and 39, women should have a pelvic exam yearly, with a PAP test every three to five years, depending on HPV testing and medical history. A breast exam to rule out cancer is also necessary.

We also screen for alcohol abuse, tobacco use, and depression yearly beginning at this age. A Hepatitis C screening is necessary at least once during this age period.

Obesity, high blood pressure, and physical abuse require screenings every two years unless you're at a high risk. An HIV screening is also necessary, especially if you're sexually active.

Age 40 to 49

At age 40, you can begin having a PAP test every three to five years to rule out cervical cancer, but you still need a breast and pelvic exam yearly. A colonoscopy at age 45 is necessary for average-risk women.

We still screen for alcohol abuse, tobacco use, and depression yearly. At this age, we start screening for high blood pressure and domestic violence yearly.

A diabetes screening is needed every three years for average-risk females. An obesity screening is required every two years, and a high cholesterol and CAD screening is necessary every four to six years.

Age 50 to 64

The screenings for women ages 50 to 64 are almost identical to those for women ages 40 to 49. Colon cancer screenings are recommended every ten years for average-risk women. STI testing may be necessary if you're sexually active with different partners.

Certain vaccines become more critical at this age, including the flu vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccine, and the shingles vaccine.

Age 65 and up

Most women's screenings remain the same at age 65, but we include a fall risk assessment to prevent injuries. You also don't need PAP smears anymore as long as your previous screenings were negative.

We still screen for domestic violence, alcohol use, depression, and tobacco use yearly. Breast cancer screening is still necessary annually. We also begin screening for osteoporosis starting at age 65 with a bone density test.

Men's preventive screening guide by age

Men also require specific preventive screening exams, although their vaccinations are similar to those of women. Men should also begin having screenings for hearing, vision, and vaccinations during childhood. Other recommendations by age include:

Age 18-39

At this age, we screen for alcohol and tobacco use, intimate partner violence, and depression every year. Obesity and high blood pressure screenings are required every two years.

High cholesterol screenings should begin at age 20 and continue at age 40 unless there's an increased risk. HIV and Hepatitis C screenings are necessary at least once.

Age 40-49

Screenings are the same for ages 18-39 for alcohol, tobacco, domestic violence, and depression. Hypertension gets screened annually, while obesity gets screened every two years.

At age 45, you should begin colorectal cancer screenings with a colonoscopy and repeat every ten years. Diabetes screenings should be every three years starting at age 45. High cholesterol screenings continue every four to six years.

Age 50-64

All preventive screening exams are the same at this age, except you should begin having prostate checks for cancer. Vaccinations are also crucial at various ages, including the flu, COVID-19, and shingles boosters.

Age 65 and up

Men 65 and older receive the same screenings as previously done. Still, we continue prostate cancer screenings and begin a one-time abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.

Vaccinations are also critical during this age due to decreased immunity and the upsurge of chronic health conditions.

Visit our urgent care facility, conveniently located in Humble, Texas, to discuss preventive care screenings or use our booking feature to request an appointment today.