Would you take a test if it could save your life?
How often do you take your car for a check-up? Once a year? What about your body? Your employees keep their cars maintained to prevent accidents, but often neglect to go for screenings that could prevent disease and even early death. Discover why prevention is better than cure…
Why are screenings tests important?
Early detection is key to preventing most diseases, especially potentially fatal ones like cancer, stroke and heart disease. Doing a simple test for high cholesterol could prevent you from having a heart attack in a few years. That’s because regular screenings and tests can help identify concerns before problems start. They can also help detect problems early, when treatment is more likely to succeed and the chances of being cured are better, especially with cancers like colon and breast cancer. So make this your mantra: Screen today for a healthier tomorrow.
TOP TESTS FOR ADULTS
High blood pressure
Why is it important?
Checking your blood pressure regularly is the simplest and yet easily the most important thing you can do to protect your health. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack or stroke without any warning. It can also lead to kidney failure.
High cholesterol.
Why is it important?
High cholesterol can cause plaque, clogging your arteries without showing symptoms until one day it causes a heart attack or stroke.
Type 2 diabetes
Why is it important?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Yet, many people don’t know they have it until it results in heart or kidney disease, a stroke, loss of vision or other serious problems.
Body mass index (BMI)
Why is it important?
Carrying excess body fat instead of muscle puts you at risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke. By using this tool to help you understand your body weight and the amount of body fat you have, you can better predict and prevent disease.
HIV
Why is it important?
Knowing your HIV status means you can take action to access treatment, care and support services, and potentially prolong your life with many years. Also, if you know that you have HIV, you can take all necessary precautions to make sure you don’t spread it to others.
Skin cancer
Why is it important?
Skin cancer is no joke. We live in a sun-intense environment where skin cancer is on the rise. Get your skin checked by a dermatologist or health professional and watch for any changes to the shape, colour and size of your moles and freckles.
Glaucoma
Why is it important?
Having your eyes tested can pick up early signs of diabetes and glaucoma. These tests are really quick and painless.
Colon cancer
Why is it important?
Despite it being the second highest cause of cancer death after lung cancer, colon cancer is curable in more than 90% of cases, if detected early. A colonoscopy lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour.
FOR MEN:
Testicular cancer (self-exam)
Why is it important?
Early detection is critical for surviving testicular cancer. While rarer than other cancers, it is the most common type of cancer in younger men between 15 and 34.
When to start: Educate young boys on doing a self-exam once a month, to feel for lumps or growths.
FOR WOMEN:
Breast cancer
Why is it important?
Breast cancer affects women as well as men, but it is the most common form of cancer in women, after skin cancer.
Cervical cancer
Why is it important?
This is the easiest female cancer to prevent through regular Pap smears. The Pap smear and HPV (human papillomavirus) testing are used to detect cervical changes, which lead to cervical cancer.
FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs)
Why is it important?
Teach your older children that being sexually active means taking precautions and acting responsibly. Many STDs have few or no symptoms, which means it’s possible to have an infection and to infect others without ever knowing it. That’s why it’s important to do regular screenings for infections like herpes, hepatitis A and C and HIV to ensure early detection and prompt treatment.
When to start: Regularly, from the age you become sexually active.
Resources
http://www.cansa.org.za/get-screened-early-detection/
http://www.aids.org.za/testing-and-treatment/
This article contains opinions and facts and references to other information sources. You should always consult a registered healthcare professional for any personal advice.
