Health screening remains essential even if you feel completely healthy because many serious conditions don’t show symptoms, especially in the early stages. Health screening is designed to catch these “silent” conditions before they progress and cause health issues.
A health screening typically includes a review of your medical history, a physical exam, and a variety of blood, urine and imaging tests based on your risk factors. Health screening aims to detect and identify health issues early, so interventions can start early to address these issues and improve health outcomes. Staying up-to-date with recommended health screening is essential for safeguarding your long-term health.
Detecting a health problem early often means treatment can be simpler and more effective. In some cases, early detection allows you to prevent a condition from worsening. For example, if a screening reveals prediabetes, lifestyle changes can dramatically reduce the likelihood of developing full-blown type 2 diabetes. However, if diabetes is diagnosed only after symptoms appear, the condition may already have caused irreversible damage, thus making treatment more challenging.
Health screening recommendations are based on research that demonstrates the value of specific tests. These tests are advised for different patient groups based on their risk factors. Some screening tests are recommended for everyone over a certain age, such as those over 40, while others may only be suggested for individuals with a strong family history of specific diseases, such as certain cancers.
It’s important to remember that not all screening tests are necessary. While many tests are heavily marketed by companies, not all offer useful or reliable information. To ensure you’re getting the right tests, it’s essential to seek professional advice so that your time and money are spent on screening tests that genuinely are useful for you and your health.
How often do you need to go for a health screening?
Health screening is not a one-size-fits-all process. The choice of screening tests and screening frequency depends on several factors, including age, personal and family health history, lifestyle choices and other risk factors. People often undergo screening for different reasons, and understanding the motivating factors behind going for screening can help develop a personalised health strategy for you.
Why People Go for Screenings
Let’s explore these three personas based on their common health goals:
- Person A who monitors pre-existing conditions. Individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure often go for regular screenings to keep track of their condition and adjust their treatment plans. Their goal is to optimise their health by managing risk factors and preventing complications. For people with chronic conditions, these tests provide a clear picture of how well your management strategies are working.
- Person B who tries to avoid disease. Many people have no diagnosed health conditions, but yet value preventative health care. They might have a family history of heart disease or cancer, and want to undergo screening to catch any early signs of these illnesses. Their goal is to maximise health by catching health conditions early, so they can get treatment early before they become serious.
- Person C is a proactive planner. A growing number of individuals take a proactive approach to health screening, using the results to make informed lifestyle decisions. They may monitor key biomarkers such as cholesterol, glucose, and inflammation markers to track the effect of their diet, exercise, and supplements. They aim to live longer and healthier by staying ahead of any health threats.
Whatever their goal – or your goal – is, regular health screening allows you to stay in control of your health. Health screening helps detect and identify health issues early, so interventions can start early to address these health issues and improve health outcomes.
When should you start going for health screening?
The timing of your first screening depends on a variety of factors. As a guide, here are some things you should consider:
Do you have pre-existing conditions?
If you are already managing a condition like diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension, health screening relevant to your condition should begin as soon as you are diagnosed. Regular monitoring will be part of managing your health effectively.
Do you have a family history of medical conditions?
Your family history plays an important role in determining when to start your health assessment. If your family members or relatives were diagnosed with heart disease, cancer, or diabetes, there could be a need to start health screening earlier than someone without this family history. For example, if an immediate family member had colorectal cancer, your doctor may recommend earlier or more frequent colonoscopies.
How often should you go for health screenings?
It’s generally recommended to have a health screening every one to three years. Younger individuals in good health, with no chronic conditions, can typically wait two to three years between checkups. However, if you’re 50 years old or older, it would be good to discuss with your doctor whether to increase your health screening frequency up to every year, as the risk for many health conditions increases with age, making regular screening more important to pick up conditions early.
Your personal risk factors can also affect how often you need health screening. For instance, smokers and ex-smokers may need regular lung cancer screening, while this is not necessary for those who have never smoked before.
If you have a strong family history of a particular condition, you might want to get screened more frequently. For example, if there are family members with a history of colorectal cancer, then a screening colonoscopy or stool occult blood test may need to be done earlier than for someone who has no family history of colorectal cancer..
Let’s look at age-specific recommendations and other considerations:
1. Ages 18 and Above
For young adults with no chronic conditions or family history of serious diseases, health screening can be less frequent and with less tests. A basic health screening every two to three years may be sufficient to track weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels. However, having risk factors such as family history, smoking, alcohol consumption, and weight issues may require more frequent and comprehensive screening.
2. Ages 40 and Above
Once you hit your 40s, more regular and comprehensive health screening becomes important. As metabolism slows down with age, the risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers increases. At this stage, it’s advisable to schedule more frequent health screening to check for these chronic diseases, and to screen for cancer. For those taking proactive measures, periodic biomarker tests can help fine-tune prevention to ensure better long-term health.
3. Ages 50 and Above
As you approach 50, the focus should shift to comprehensive screening and disease-specific screening (such as lung cancer screening with low-dose CT Lung scan). These screening tests help detect common age-related diseases early, so early interventions and treatment increase your chances of a better health outcome. Regular health screening, along with disease-specific screening tests, is recommended. For patients who are proactive planners, they can also consider going for health screening looking at optimising healthspan and longevity. Health screening for longevity assesses a larger range of biomarkers related to ageing, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease risk, providing data to help optimise long-term health and extend your lifespan.
A Personalized Approach to Screenings
While general screening guidelines are helpful, there’s no substitute for personalised screening plans. It will be important to discuss with your doctor the appropriate screening tests and test frequency for your body and your health, and your doctor will be able to customise a personalised health screening plan for you.