Knowing what preventive care measures you should take at your age

Taking the right preventive care measures is key to staying healthy and catching early signs of disease. Here are the general recommendations for each age group.
Primary Care
Preventive Care
Article
January 17, 2024

Whether you consider yourself to be generally healthy, are at risk of developing a chronic condition or have a history of disease within your family, it’s important to engage in preventive care at every life stage.

The goal of preventive care is to detect health concerns early on when they are usually easier to treat. Types of preventive care measures include:

  • Regular check-ups or wellness visits
  • Physical exams
  • Screenings for certain diseases 
  • Vaccinations
  • Education or counseling to make informed health decisions

If you’re unsure what preventive care measures you should be taking, here’s a quick guide to the recommended care for every age:

6 months – 12+ years old

  • Flu vaccine: Recommended annually for everyone 6 months and older
  • HPV vaccine: Two doses recommended from ages 11-15
  • COVID-19 vaccine: Anyone age 12 and older can be vaccinated against COVID-19

21+ years old

  • Cervical cancer: Women should start getting Pap tests at age 21, at least every other year. Women over 30 with 3 normal tests in a row can test once every 3 years.
  • Cholesterol: First screening recommended by age 21, then every 4-6 years 

40+ years old

  • Breast cancer: Women aged 40-49 should talk to their doctor about getting their first mammogram and women can also learn to do a breast self-exam at home
  • Colon cancer: Regular screening is recommended starting at age 45
  • Prediabetes and diabetes: Recommended for all adults age 45+ regardless of weight or sooner if overweight

50+ years old

  • Prostate cancer: Men should get their first exam by age 50
  • Shingles vaccine (also known as zoster vaccine): 2 doses recommended for those 50 and older
  • Lung cancer: Yearly screening recommended for smokers with a 20-pack-per-year history between 50-80 years old

65+ years old

  • Osteoporosis: Screening recommended for women 65 years or older
  • Fall prevention: Exercises recommended to help prevent risk of falls for individuals 65 and older

Your risk for certain diseases may be higher or lower based on your genetics, diet and other factors beyond your age. Be sure to talk to your primary care provider about which preventive care measures are right for you. 

Evernorth Care Group offers same-day and next-day preventive care appointments. Schedule your appointment online or call 800.233.3264. 

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/preventive-care/index.html 

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/age-related-preventive-screenings 

https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/journals/afp/USPSTFHealthCareSchedule2023.pdf