by ERIKA ALDRICH
It’s always important to see a doctor regularly and practice preventative care. For men, getting regular checkups and screenings is vital to maintaining good health, but there are certain times in a man’s life when such screenings and doctor’s visits are necessary to catch potential health issues. The earlier a health concern is detected, the better the outlook for treatments and medical courses of action. Test your knowledge of when men should be getting checkups and screenings and learn when it’s time to make an appointment with your doctor.
Fill-in-the-Blank: A man should get a regular check-up/physical exam every __________ from ages 20-39, every __________ from ages 40-49, and every __________ at age 50 and older.
5 years; 3 years; 2 years
3 years; 2 years; year
10 years; 5 years; 3 years
6 years; 4 years; 2 years
Which of the following screenings, blood tests, or urinalysis tests should be part of a man’s regular check-ups and physical exams?
Cholesterol
Diabetes
Kidneys
Thyroid
All of the Above
True or False? A man should get tested for hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, which can have no symptoms and cause permanent damage to organs, every year, no matter his age.
At what age should a man start getting a yearly hemoccult screening, which checks the stool for microscopic amounts of blood that can be the first indication of polyps or colon cancer?
30 years old
35 years old
40 years old
45 years old
50 years old
At what age should a man start getting an annual PSA blood test, which screens for Prostate Specific Antigen, a product of the prostate when there is an abnormality such as an infection, enlargement or cancer?
50 years old
60 years old
70 years old
80 years old
True or False? African-American men and those men with a family history of prostate cancer may want to begin prostate screening at age 40, or even earlier.
At what age should a man start to get rectal exams, to screen for hemorrhoids, lower rectal problems, and colon and prostate cancers?
20 years old
30 years old
40 years old
50 years old
At what age should a man get a colorectal health screening, which involves a flexible scope used to examine the rectum, sigmoid, and descending colon to check for signs of polyps and cancer, and to catch it at its earliest and most treatable stages.
30 years old
40 years old
50 years old
60 years old
How often after the first colorectal health screening should a man get the above screening?
Every year
Every 2 years
Every 3 years
Every 3 to 4 years
Fill-in-the-Blank: A man should get a baseline Electrocardiogram (EKG) screening for heart abnormalities starting at age _______, then every two years starting at age _______, and then every year starting at age _______.
20, 30, 40
30, 40, 50
50, 60, 70
None of the Above
Which of the following is a health test or screening men should discuss getting with their doctors? (Choose all that apply).
Testosterone screening; Low testosterone symptoms can include low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, fatigue and depression.
Bone mineral density test.
Chest x-ray for smokers over the age of 45.
All of the Above
Resources: Information provided by the Men’s Health Network (menshealthnetwork.org).
ANSWERS:
B. 3 years; 2 years; year. A man should get a check-up every 3 years from 20-39, every 2 years from 40-49, and once a year after age 50.
E. All of the Above. Screenings aim to catch health issues in their early stages.
True. High blood pressure can develop at any age, but it becomes more prevalent with age.
C. 40 years old.
D. 50 years old.
True. Those a history or prevalence for developing prostate cancer should discuss earlier screenings with their doctors.
A. 20 years old.
C. 50 years old.
D. Every 3 to 4 years.
B. 30, 40, 50
D. All of the Above