Health screenings provide valuable information to health-care providers and you. Screenings are intended as preventive and early detection measures. Health screenings are diagnostic tools that health-care providers use, and thus provide a valuable tool in the overall arsenal of health care.
Purpose
The purpose of health screenings is to determine if you have any signs or symptoms of ill health or disease and potentially to prevent ill health or health complications.
Generally, the earlier a health-care provider is able to diagnose a health condition, the better likelihood there is to successfully treat that condition. Early detection of many health conditions and diseases can be life-saving.
Benefits
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is often referred to as the silent killer because there are many people walking around who have no idea they have this condition. Untreated hypertension can result in many chronic illnesses such as kidney failure, congestive heart failure, stroke and heart attack. Something as simple as having your blood pressure checked may allow you, with proper treatment, to ward off these serious complications.
Hypertension is just one example of a medical condition that may be discovered during a health screening. Diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, certain cancers are all examples of what a health screening may uncover.
Considerations
There is some controversy in the health-care community about which health screenings are necessary, especially for apparently healthy adults. In the United States, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which researches and investigates this issue.
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force determines by scientific research the "health costs and benefits of screenings," according to a 2005 report on National Public Radio. A panel of experts then recommend for or against each of the many health screenings available that rely on lab tests.
Again, the USPSTF's recommendations are given for apparently healthy adults, meaning that if you've already been diagnosed with a condition, the health screening for that or related conditions won't apply to your situation.
Recommendations
A full list of the health screenings that the Preventative Services Task Force strongly recommends can be found at its website and is categorized by male and female, pregnant women and children.
The task force recommends health screenings for the following disorders common to both males and females: colorectal cancer, depression, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, HIV, lipid disorders, obesity and syphilis.
Your health-care provider can discuss these recommendations with you and make his own recommendations based on your personal health history, family health history and known individual risk factors.
Significance
Health screenings, whether they take the form of blood tests, X-rays or questionnaires, are vital tools in a health-care provider's arsenal of optimum health care. The tools in and of themselves have little value without the knowledge and expertise of a health-care provider.
There are companies that offer health screenings for various conditions, and while those screenings may or may not be accurate, the conclusions reached by them should always be discussed with a health-care provider who will do more than read and interpret the screening results. There is no substitute for the objective and subjective data found during a medical visit. Just as health screenings are a tool in the box to be used to promote good health, so are the health-care provider's education, knowledge of your individual situation, knowledge and experience.
Tags: health-care provider, blood pressure, health screening, health screenings, apparently healthy
