What Tests Do You Need?
What Other Tests Do You Need and How Often?
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screenings to help you maintain your health. The chart below will help you to remember when it is time to go for your checkups. Just look for your age range and follow the list.
| Adult Preventive Health Guidelines | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-64 | 65-74 | 75+ |
| Blood Pressure | Every 3-5 years | Every 1-2 years | Yearly | |||
| Cholesterol* | Every 3-5 years** | Yearly for men age 35+ | Yearly for women age 40+ | Yearly | ||
| Pap Smear | Every 1-3 years | *** | ||||
| Mammograms | One Baseline*** | Yearly | *** | |||
| Physician Breast Exam | Every 1-2 years | Yearly | *** | |||
| Breast Self-Exam | Monthly | |||||
| Physician Testicular Exam | Every 4-5 years | *** | ||||
| Testicular Self-Exam | Monthly | *** | ||||
| Stool Blood Test* (and/or sigmoldos-copy after age 50) | Yearly | |||||
| General Health Assessment | Every 4-5 years | Every 1-2 years | ||||
| Prostate Exam (consult your physician) | *** | |||||
| Glucose | Yearly if overweight or have one or more diabetes risk factors | Yearly if 45+ and overweight | Yearly if overweight | |||
*People at high risk may need monitoring more often. See your primary care physician. **Younger adults (men age 20-35 and women age 20-45) should be screened if they have other risk factors for heart disease. These risk factors include tobacco use, diabetes, family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. ***Your risk factors will determine how often you should get these checkups. Ask your primary care physician.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is an independent agency that provides health information on behalf of your health plan.