Preventative Health
Preventative health care is defined as health care aimed at identifying and addressing risk factors that predispose a woman to health care problems. By seeing your physician regularly to prevent and identify health problems early or before illness occurs a woman can prevent illness. Recognizing the leading causes of death with certain age groups will help concentrate on preventative methods for those health issues most important to women in phases of their lives.
To identify risk factors, your physician will get a detailed history on your health, family, diet, exercise habits, use of alcohol/drugs/tobacco, sexual habits and all medications. In addition, your preventative health visit will include a physical exam, laboratory testing, counseling and immunizations. Counseling in particular will include sexuality, fitness and nutrition, psychosocial, cardiovascular risk factors and risky behaviors.
Preventative evaluation by age group are listed below and also include the ten most common causes of death for each age group. Remember that high risk factors may include more frequent testing and the addition of other tests.
Ages 13-18 years
Preventative screening/care:
- Pap smear for women that have been sexually active within 3 years
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing (if sexually active)
- HIV testing (if sexually active)
- Tetanus – Diptheria – Pertussis vaccination (once between age 11-18)
- Human papillomavirus vaccine
- Influenza vaccination yearly
- Hepatitis B virus vaccination (if not previously received)
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccination (if not previously received)
- Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (before entry into high school)
- Varicella vaccination (if no evidence of immunity)
Leading causes of death:
- Accidents
- Malignant cancers
- Suicide
- Assault
- Diseases of the heart
- Congenital malformations
- Respiratory disease
- Cerebrovascular ds
- Influenza/pneumonia
- Benign cancers
Age 19-39 years
Preventative screening/care:
- Pap smear (every 1-3 years) if indicated
- Pelvic exam yearly (if indicated before 21)
- Clinical breast exam yearly by health care provider
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea (yearly if over 25 and sexually active)
- HIV testing
- Tetanus-Diptheria-Pertussis vaccination every 10 years
- HPV vaccine up through 26 years of age
- Varicella vaccine (if no evidence of immunity)
Leading causes of death:
- Malignant cancer
- Accidents
- Diseases of the heart
- Suicide
- HIV disease
- Assault
- Cerebrovascular ds
- Diabetes
- Chronic Liver disease
- Respiratory disease
Age 40-64
Preventative screening/care:
- Pap smear (every 1-3 years)
- Pelvic exam yearly
- Colorectal cancer screening (colonoscopy/rectal exam) at age 50
- Clinical breast exam yearly
- Mammogram every 1-2 years
- Cholesterol profile every 5 years (starting at age 45)
- Fasting glucose every 3 years (starting at age 45)
- Thyroid stimulating hormone testing every 5 years (starting at age 50)
- HIV testing
- Tetanus-Diptheria-Pertussis vaccination every 10 years
- Influenza vaccine yearly
- Herpes zoster vaccine (once at age 60)
- Varicella vaccination (if no evidence of immunity)
Leading causes of death:
- Malignant cancer
- Diseases of the heart
- Accidents
- Respiratory disease
- Cerebrovascular ds
- Diabetes
- Chronic liver disease
- Blood infection
- Suicide
- HIV disease
Age 65 and older
Preventative screening/care:
- Pap smear (yearly but may be stopped at age 70)
- Pelvic exam yearly
- Colorectal cancer screening (rectal exam yearly/colonoscopy every 10 years)
- Clinical breast exam yearly
- Mammogram yearly
- Cholesterol profile every 5 years
- Fasting glucose every 3 years
- Thyroid stimulating hormone testing every 1-5 years
- Tetanus-Diptheria-Pertussis vaccination every 10 years
- Influenza vaccine yearly
- Herpes zoster vaccine (once if not previously received)
- Varicella vaccination (if no evidence of immunity)
- Pneumococcal vaccination once
- Osteoporosis screening (DEXA scan) every two years
Leading causes of death:
- Diseases of heart
- Malignant cancer
- Cerebrovascular ds
- Respiratory disease
- Alzheimers disease
- Influenza/pneumonia
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Accidents
- Blood infection
Basic good lifestyle choices:
- Eat a well balanced diet
- Keep the fat and cholesterol in your diet to a minimum
- Keep your BMI within a healthy range (BMI calculator)
- Exercise 30-60 minutes daily
- Do not smoke cigarettes
- Do not use drugs
- Alcohol consumption in moderation
- Avoid sun exposure and use sunscreen
- Wear a seat belt routinely
- Prevent pregnancy with contraception if not desired
- Use latex condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases
- Review over-the-counter and herbal medications with your physician
- Perform self breast exam (SBE) monthly
- Seek counseling if sadness affects your daily life
- Visit a dentist regularly
- Have regular eye exams
- If you do not feel safe or have been abused…..ask for HELP!! National Domestic Violence hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
|
Give your Website the BannerView!
