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or Joe gets diabetes. However, by going
for health screenings appropriate to you,
you are not only ensuring that you are in
the pink of health, but also that any risk
factors are identified and thus prompt and
appropriate intervention measures can be
carried out.
Isn’t ‘Screening’ Just a Fancy
Name for a Normal Routine
Checkup?
Not exactly. While both are forms of
preventative medicine, checkups are
standardised, routine physical examina-
tions that you undertake every one to three
years, depending on your age or doctor’s
recommendation.
Screenings on the other hand, are tests
(blood or physical examinations) that are
focused on looking for a specific disease
before you get symptoms. With the help
of your doctor or medical professional,
you are assessed for your risk of vari-
ous diseases. Screening tests are able to
identify diseases or cancer at early stages.
Identifying early makes the disease
easier to treat and people are generally
more responsive to treatment when a
disease is identified early as opposed to
when it has advanced into later stages.
How do I Make an Intelligent and
Informed Decision?
A lot really depends on your health needs.
Some health conditions, like obesity
(defined as a BMI of above 30), or certain
lifestyle choices, like smoking, can put you
at a far higher risk of developing certain
types of diseases later on in life.
For example, obesity can affect many
other organ systems in your body. The
most important link found is that obesity
is linked to Type II Diabetes. Aside from
that, obese people are at much higher risks
of cardiovascular diseases and cancer of
the esophagus, breast, endometrium,
colon and rectum. For smokers, the risk
of getting cancers anywhere in the body
is far elevated as well.
Thus, it is best to see your general
practitioner to find out what screening
procedures are necessary for you.
Do not wait. Schedule an appointment
with your doctor now. Wouldn’t it be bet-
ter if you had a peace of mind now instead
of facing the possibility of an advanced
disease later on?