| Screening Tests | Ages 18-39 | Ages 40-49 | Ages 50-64 | Ages 65 and Older |
| General Health: Full checkup, including weight and height |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Heart Health: Blood pressure test |
At least every 2 years | At least every 2 years | At least every 2 years | At least every 2 years |
| Cholesterol test | Start at age 20, discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Diabetes: Blood sugar test |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Start at age 45, then every 3 years | Every 3 years | Every 3 years |
| Prostate Health: Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | |
| Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) (blood test) | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | |
| Reproductive Health: Testicular exam |
Monthly self-exam; and part of a general checkup. | Monthly self-exam; and part of a general checkup. | Monthly self-exam; and part of a general checkup. | Monthly self-exam; and part of a general checkup. |
| Chlamydia test | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) tests | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. | Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse. |
| Colorectal Health: Fecal occult blood test |
Yearly | Yearly | ||
| Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (with fecal occult blood test is preferred) | Every 5 years (if not having a colonoscopy) | Every 5 years (if not having a colonoscopy) | ||
| Double Contrast Barium Enema (DCBE) | Every 5-10 years (if not having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy) | Every 5-10 years (if not having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy) | ||
| Colonoscopy | Every 10 years | Every 10 years | ||
| Rectal exam | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Every 5-10 years with each screening (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or DCBE) | Every 5-10 years with each screening (colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or DCBE) |
| Eye and Ear Health: Eye exam |
Get your eyes checked if you have problems or visual changes. | Every 2-4 years | Every 2-4 years | Every 2-4 years |
| Hearing test | Starting at age 18, then every 10 years | Every 10 years | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Skin Health: Mole exam |
Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every 3 years, starting at age 20. | Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every year. | Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every year. | Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor every year. |
| Oral Health: Dental exam |
One or two times every year | One or two times every year | One or two times every year | One or two times every year |
| Mental Health Screening | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. |
| Immunizations: Influenza vaccine |
Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Discuss with your doctor or nurse. | Yearly | Yearly |
| Pneumococcal vaccine | One time only | |||
| Tetanus-Diphtheria Booster vaccine | Every 10 years | Every 10 years | Every 10 years | Every 10 years |
Source: www.4woman.gov
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Last Editorial Review: 10/7/2005
Complete List
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Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 F (37 C), in practice, a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 F (38 C). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal; rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease-producing organisms.
Chickenpox (Varicella)
Chickenpox (chicken pox) is a contagious childhood disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Symptoms have an incubation period of 14 to 16 days and include a couple days of mild fever, weakness, and red, raised rash that progresses to blisters that eventually burst and crust over. Complications include bacterial infection of the open sores, scarring, encephalitis, nerve palsies, and Reye's syndrome.
Childhood Vaccination Schedule
Childhood immunizations can protect children from potentially deadly diseases. Vaccinations included on the childhood immunization schedule include Hib, polio, DTaP, MMR, HPV, flu, chickenpox, meningitis, rotavirus, pneumonia, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B.
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A bacteria called Clostridium tetani causes tetanus (lockjaw). Tetanus causes symptoms and signs that include severe muscle spasms and an inability to open the mouth. The tetanus vaccine is a toxoid that is 100% effective against tetanus. The DTaP vaccine is part of a child's routine immunization schedule. Doctors recommend the Tdap for children at their 11-year checkup. People should get a tetanus booster vaccination every 10 years.
Flu Vaccine (Flu Shot)
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Genital Warts (HPV) Infection in Women
Genital warts is a sexually transmitted infection (STI, STD) caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). It is the most common STD in the US. The warts can appear anywhere on the skin where sexual contact has occurred.
The warts look like raised, flesh-colored lumps or bumps that have a cauliflower-like appearance. Signs and symptoms of genital warts in women include vaginal, vulva, or groin pain, itching, and burning where the wart(s) is.
Treatment can remove warts or lesions, but it does not prevent spread of the virus, and the warts usually grow back. Removing genital warts does not prevent the infection from spreading elsewhere on the body.
There is no cure for genital warts, and there is no vaccine to prevent them; however, there is a vaccine to prevent infection from four common types of HPV. Gardasil vaccine available for female adolescents and teens to prevent HPV infection and cervical cancer.
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Pneumococcal Vaccination (Pneumonia Vaccine)
Pneumococcal vaccination prevents one of the most common and severe forms of pneumonia. It is usually given only once in a lifetime, usually after the age of 55, to someone with ongoing lung problems (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma) or other chronic diseases (including those involving the heart and kidneys).
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. Symptoms and signs include cough, fever, shortness of breath, and chills. Antibiotics treat pneumonia, and the choice of the antibiotic depends upon the cause of the infection.
Shingles: Contagious, Treatment, and Causes
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful rash caused by the varicella zoster virus. Other shingles symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and body aches. Treatment focuses on pain management and shortening the duration of the illness with antiviral medications.
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