Compiled by Jeanne Coates
20s and 30s
ཞ Sexually Transmitted Disease – if you are sexually active and have changed partners , get screened for sexually transmitted diseases .
ཞ Blood Pressure : Have your blood pressure checked at least once every two years .
ཞ Cholesterol : Have your cholesterol tested every four to six years , depending on results . If you have heart disease or diabetes , you may need to have this done more frequently .
ཞ Type 2 diabetes : Have a blood test every three years .
ཞ Depression Screening : Talk to your health care team if during the last 2 weeks you have felt down , sad or hopeless and have little interest and don ’ t feel pleasure in doing things .
ཞ Hepatitis C Virus ( HCV ): Get screened one time for HCV infection if you were born between 1945 and 1965 , you have ever injected drugs or if you received a blood transfusion before 1992 .
ཞ Review your sexual history and condom use , diet , exercise and sleep habits with your doctor .
ཞ If you find a lump or have pain in a testicle , see your doctor as soon as possible .
40s and 50s
ཞ Sexually Transmitted Disease – if you are sexually active and have changed partners , get screened for sexually transmitted diseases .
ཞ Blood Pressure : Have your blood pressure checked at least once every two years .
ཞ Cholesterol : Have your cholesterol tested every four to six years , depending on results . If you have heart disease or diabetes , you may need to have this done more frequently .
ཞ Type 2 diabetes : Get tested at age 45 unless your doctor recommends it earlier based on other health conditions ( like high blood pressure or obesity )
ཞ Colorectal cancer : Get screened between age 45 and 50 . Ask your doctor which screening protocol he or she recommends for you .
ཞ Prostate cancer : This blood test is recommended at age 55 .
ཞ Depression Screening : Talk to your health care team if during the last 2 weeks you have felt down , sad or hopeless and have little interest and don ’ t feel pleasure in doing things .
ཞ Hepatitis C Virus ( HCV ): Get screened one time for HCV infection if you were born between 1945 and 1965 , you have ever injected drugs or if you received a blood transfusion before 1992 .
ཞ Review your sexual history and condom use , diet , exercise and sleep habits and tobacco , vaping , alcohol and substance-use habits .
At all ages : Exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet . CLAY parent MAGAZINE | 9