The most important part of preventive health care is maintaining good health habits. This includes:
In addition to these habits, some screening services may help prevent or minimize disease.
1. It is important and recommended for adults to have the following periodic screening tests:
See also: Physical exam frequency
2. Many diseases can be effectively treated when detected early. See your primary health care provider right away if:
Have a plan for getting professional care before the need arises.
3. Keep immunizations up-to-date. See: Immunizations - general overview
ReferencesU.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Accessed February 22, 2009.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Guide to clinical preventive services 2008. Rockville, MD. 2008. AHRQ publications 08-05122.
Woolf SH. Principles of preventive health care. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 12.
All adults should visit their health care provider from time to time, even if they are healthy. The purpose of these visits is to:
The following are some of the tests that may be done or scheduled:
See also: Physical exam frequency for recommendations by age group
Another part of preventive health is learning to recognize changes in your body that may not be normal, so you can see your health care provider right away, including:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Recommendation statement. 2008. Accessed March 20, 2011.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.Guide to clinical preventive services 2008. Rockville, MD. 2008. AHRQ publications 08-05122. Accessed March 20, 2011.
Woolf SH. Principles of preventive health care. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 12.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 03/20/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The main difference between traditional and preventive approaches to health care is that traditional health care is reactive while preventive health care is proactive. This means that traditional approaches treat problems once they have arisen, such as diseases, while preventive approaches seek to avoid having problems arise.
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