Health Screening & Tests, What You Need
49Health Screening
Most wellness programs utilize a computerized health risk analysis as the start of a comprehensive health screening program. The analysis uses answers to questions about health habits and some basic information (age, sex, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol) to calculate health risks and to compute one's risk age. An overweight smoker with a family history of heart disease may have a risk age years above his or her chronological age. The health risk analysis is a simple, low-cost way to focus future health habits.
Results from a cholesterol test could lead to a class on healthy food choices, an activity program, or even a doctor's visit and a prescription for cholesterol-lowering medication. The principle is simple: Use low-cost approaches to identify health habits and risks, apply more expensive tests but only for those at risk, and reserve high-cost tests and treatments for those in real need. Years ago, testing advocates thought health screening tests should be applied broadly. Now we realize that many tests should be reserved for those who, by virtue of age, risk factors, family history, or symptoms, are most in need of the procedure. Generalized testing is costly, wastes the time and effort of medical personnel, and risks false positive results (indication of a problem when none exists).
Various factors, including age, sex, health risks, family history, and occupation, influence the need for health screening. Young, apparently healthy individuals do well with infrequent tests, unless, of course, they have a family history or symptoms or they change habits. Regrettably, age alone increases the need for regular screenings.
