The “milestone” birthday is approaching. What kind of health check should I have at my age?

Have you had a medical examination for a while or before?

You are not alone. Most people wait to see a general practitioner until they get sick. As a result, we usually don’t have much time to discuss preventive health.

So should you book a check at your GP just to talk about what you can do to stay healthy? If so, what should you discuss?

It depends on your life stage.

The doctor will not check you everything

You may be surprised No evidence A “general health check” will give you better health results.

Some prophylactic checks in low-risk and otherwise healthy patients There is no meritIncludes some blood tests and imaging tests, such as whole body CT and MRI for cancer screening.

Not only is it a waste of your time and money, but there is another concern with general health checks: it’s Overdiagnosis, Additional tests, appointments, anxiety, medications, and even surgery. Ironically, this can be detrimental to your health.

This is why doctors don’t “check everything”, but based on the individual’s medical history, it is guided by what you personally benefit from and which tests have evidence of an outweighed benefit. increase.

One of the important considerations for doctors is age.

20-30 seconds

The main evidence-based screening checks for young adults Cervical screening test For women. This is a cervical swab every 5 years looking for human papillomavirus (HPV) and precancerous cells.

When young women participate in the cervical smear test, there are often some other important preventative discussions, such as pregnancy prevention and planning.

Young men do not need equivalent screening tests and often miss the opportunity to talk about prevention.

Both men and women in this age group have STI (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) tests, skin cancer, Mental health struggle Intimate violence.

Other than that, even healthy, healthy young adults should consider discussing what they can do to prevent chronic illness with their GP.Healthy behaviors such as diet, sleep, smoking and exercise level in young adults Increase or decrease risk Ongoing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, etc.

Finally, regular checks by your dentist or optometrist can help you detect problems early.

40-50

Despite the maxim that “life begins at age 40,” this is the age that many of the things that can cause premature death are worth screening.

Current evidence shows Helps assess the risk of blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and skin cancer.

If the risk of certain cancers (such as breast cancer or colorectal cancer) is high, these screenings may also be started around this age.

Also, it’s never too late to change your lifestyle and improve longevity, so it’s all important to discuss things like losing weight, quitting smoking, and improving exercise.

Like young adults, women should continue to take the cervical smear test every five years.

And everyone should consider being examined by a dentist and an optometrist.

Mental health can also deteriorate around this age, as the burdens of caring for children, aging parents, and tough careers can come to mind. Opinions from psychologists may be helpful.

50-65

Patients often comment on the 50th “birthday gift” they find in their email. This is a stool sample collection kit for screening for colorectal cancer. Not a highlight of my 50s, Effective in saving lives Checks are recommended every two years through early detection of this cancer.

Females are also invited to start mammograms Breast cancer screening every two years (Unless you have already started in your 40s, depending on your personal risk).

The third health problem that begins screening in the 50s is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become brittle and the risk of fractures increases. Osteoporosis is painless and is often not detected until it is too late.You can start checking your risk against this at home via an online calculator such as This one From the Garvan Institute.

Even in this age group, oral health and eye checks are still important.

65 years of age or older

Some immunity Recommended from 65 years oldAs your immune system begins to weaken, such as shingles and the flu, and your risk of serious illness increases.

Other preventative checks include vision, dental health, hearing, and risk of falls. These often involve relevant healthcare providers who can screen, monitor, and treat you as needed.

Some of the other regular screenings stop in the mid-1970s, including colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer.

Indigenous people

The above age-related recommendations are intended for people with standard risk factors. Indigenous Australians are at increased risk of developing a variety of illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and certain cancers.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders may be offered More thorough screening, According to another timeline, there are some checks at an earlier age.

Although a general “health check” is not recommended each year, conversations with your GP can help you resolve specific health risks and screening needs.

Prevention is better than treatment, so make sure you have access to evidence-based screening and prevention strategies that are right for you.

Natasha Yates is an assistant professor of general practice at Bond University.This work first appeared conversation..