Screening tests and vaccines are an important part of managing your health. A screening test is done to find possible disorders or diseases in people who don't have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes can be made and you can be watched more closely to reduce the risk of disease, or to detect it early enough to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not considered diagnostic, but are used to determine if more testing is needed. Health counseling is essential, too. Below are guidelines for these, for women ages 65 and older. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up to date on what you need.
Screening
Who needs it
How often
Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
All women beginning at age 45 and women without symptoms at any age who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more additional risk factors for diabetes
At least every 3 years
Type 2 diabetes
All women with prediabetes
Every year
Unhealthy alcohol use
All women in this age group
At routine exams
Blood pressure
Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg
If your blood pressure reading is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider
Breast cancer
All women of average risk
Mammograms should be done every 1 or 2 years. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk factors and how often you need the test and for how long.
Cervical cancer
Only women who had abnormal screening results before age 65
Talk with your healthcare provider
Chlamydia
Women at increased risk for infection
Colorectal cancer
All women at average risk in this age group through age 75 who are in good health. For women ages 76 to 85, talk with your healthcare provider about whether to continue screening. For women 85 and older, screening is not needed.
Multiple tests are available and are used at different times. Possible tests include:
Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years, or
Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years, or
Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
Yearly fecal immunochemical test every year, or
Stool DNA test, every 3 years
If you choose a test other than a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result, you will need to follow-up with a colonoscopy. Talk with your healthcare provider which test is best for you.
Some people should be screened using a different schedule because of their personal or family health history. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health history.
Depression
Gonorrhea
Sexually active women at increased risk for infection
At yearly routine exams
Hepatitis C
Anyone at increased risk; 1 time for those born between 1945 and 1965
High cholesterol or triglycerides
All women in this age group who are at risk for coronary artery disease
At least every 5 years; talk with your healthcare provider about your risk
HIV
At routine exams; talk with your healthcare provider about your risk
Lung cancer
Adults ages 55 to 74 who are in fairly good health and are at higher risk for lung cancer
Currently smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
30-pack year smoking history
Eligibility criteria and age limit (possibly up to age 80) may vary across major organizations
Yearly lung cancer screening with a low dose CT scan (LDCT); talk with your healthcare provider
Obesity
Osteoporosis
Routinely done every 2 years, but repeat as advised by your healthcare provider
Syphilis
At routine exams; talk with your healthcare provider
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
Only women in this age group with symptoms of thyroid dysfunction
Tuberculosis
Vision
Every 1 to 2 years; if you have a chronic health condition, ask your healthcare provider if you need exams more often
Vaccine
Chickenpox (varicella)
All women in this age group who have no record of this infection or vaccine
2 doses; second dose should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose
Hepatitis A
2 or 3 doses (depending on the vaccine) given at least 6 months apart; talk with your healthcare provider
Hepatitis B
2 or 3 doses (depending on the vaccine); second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose; if a the third dose, it should be given at least 2 months after the second dose and at least 4 months after the first dose
Haemophilus influenza type B (HIB)
1 to 3 doses; talk with your healthcare provider
Influenza (flu)
Once a year
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
PPSV 23: women who have not been vaccinated or have not had infection
PCV 13: women at increased risk for infection
PPSV: 1 dose at age 65 or older
PCV 13: 1 dose at age 65 or older; talk with your healthcare provider
Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
Td every 10 years, or a 1-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster after age 18, then Td every 10 years
Zoster (shingles)
2 vaccines are available:
Recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV; Shigrix) is recommended as the preferred shingles vaccine. It's given in a series of 2 doses. The 2nd dose is given 2 to 6 months after the first. This is given even if you've had shingles before or had a previous zoster live vaccine.
Zoster live vaccine live (ZVL; Zostavax) may be given to healthy adults over age 60. It's given in one dose.
Counseling
Diet and exercise
Women who are overweight or obese
When diagnosed, and then at routine exams
Fall prevention (exercise and vitamin D supplements)
Sexually transmitted infection prevention
Women at increased risk for infection–talk with your healthcare provider
Use of daily aspirin
Women up to age 70 who are at high risk for cardiovascular problems and not at increased risk for bleeding as identified by your healthcare provider
When your risk is known
Use of tobacco and the health effects it can cause
Every exam