CATCH PROBLEMS EARLY WITH PREVENTIVE CARE

Visiting a healthcare provider even when you’re feeling well is actually pretty important. This is called preventive care. It’s about being proactive with your healthcare so you can stay as healthy as possible. Preventive care helps your healthcare provider detect diseases and conditions early, before they get worse.

Annual checkups, vaccinations, and health screenings (including regular vision screenings and dental visits) are all part of preventive care. The types of preventive care that are best for you depend on how old you are, your past medical history, and how healthy you currently are as well as if you’re male or female.

We’ve put together a list of preventive care recommendations; check them out—then ask your healthcare provider about what screenings you need and when you need them.

Regular checkups, or wellness visits, are exactly as they sound - they help your healthcare provider keep track of your overall wellness. During each appointment, your primary care doctor will check your height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, how well you breathe and your temperature. They’ll also check your eyes, ears, nose, throat and skin.

Regular checkups are extremely important for babies and children. Your pediatrician can see how well your child is growing, give them any necessary vaccinations, and screen them for health or developmental challenges. Babies need more frequent wellness visits than children who are at least 3 years old. Your pediatrician can let you know how often your child needs a checkup.

Vaccines are critical because they provide protection from common diseases and infections and help keep illnesses, especially highly contagious ones, from spreading to others.

Key vaccines to get as an adult include the flu shot and the shingles vaccination. (The shingles vaccination is recommended for healthy adults over the age of 50.)

Infants and children should have a variety of vaccinations, depending on how old they are, including those for hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella, chicken pox and diphtheria, tetanus and polio.

If you’re concerned about certain vaccinations or don’t understand the disease they’re preventing, talk to your healthcare provider so that you’re well informed.

BREAST CANCER

Women who are over 40 years old should get a yearly mammogram to screen for breast abnormalities while women who have an increased risk of breast cancer may need to start screenings at a younger age.

CERVICAL CANCER

Regular screenings for cervical cancer through Pap and HPV tests help detect precancerous cells. Most organizations recommend women get their first Pap test when they’re 21, followed by a Pap test every three years, through age 29.

Women who are between 30 and 65 years old should still get a Pap test every three years but should also get an HPV test every five years.

Once you reach 65, talk with your healthcare provider to see if you still need a cervical cancer screening.

COLON CANCER

Most experts recommend getting a colonoscopy every 10 years, starting when you’re 45, until you’re 75. If you have a family history of colon cancer, you may need to start screenings earlier and have them more frequently. You may also need to have more frequent screenings if you have a history of colon polyps.

OTHER CANCER SCREENINGS

If you currently smoke or have a history of smoking and are at least 50 years old, your doctor may suggest having a yearly lung cancer screening to check for lung lesions or abnormalities. Lung cancer screenings are done using low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans, which make detailed images of your lungs.

Your doctor may also suggest a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test to screen for prostate cancer. This common blood test is usually recommended for men every two to three years, starting around age 50.

Regular eye exams are important for two reasons: to diagnose if you need glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision and to diagnose eye diseases that might harm your vision or cause blindness.

How often you need an eye exam depends on a variety of factors, including your age, if you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, and if you have a family history of glaucoma.

Just like adults, babies and kids should also have eye exams, based on their age. Ask your pediatrician about how often your child should have an eye exam.

Visiting the dentist regularly, usually every 6 months, helps stop teeth problems before they start. At your visit, a hygienist will clean your teeth to remove plaque and tartar. Plaque buildup can increase your risk of developing cavities and gum disease. The dentist will check the health of your teeth and gums and look for signs of oral cancer.

Dental care is important for your children too. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children start seeing a dentist by the time they’re one (or once they get their first tooth) and then every six months after that.

Look to STAR Community Health to provide quality, compassionate preventive care, including dental care, for you and your family.

In order to provide affordable services for all, we accept most insurances, including Medicaid, and also offer a sliding-fee discount program based on family income and size. Please visit our website to find out more about program eligibility and how to apply.