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 men ages 40 to 49. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up to date on what you need.
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Screening
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Who needs it
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How often
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Alcohol misuse
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Blood pressure
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All men in this age group
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Yearly checkup if your blood pressure reading is normal
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg
If your blood pressure is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider
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Depression
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
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All men beginning at age 45 and men without symptoms at any age who are overweight or obese and have 1 or more other risk factors for diabetes
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At least every 3 years (yearly if blood sugar has begun to rise)
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Type 2 diabetes
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All men with prediabetes
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Every year
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Hepatitis C
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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At routine exams
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High cholesterol or triglycerides
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All men ages 35 and older, and younger men at high risk for coronary artery disease
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At least every 5 years
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HIV
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All men
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At routine exams
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Obesity
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All men in this age group
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At routine exams
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Prostate cancer
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Starting at age 45, talk to healthcare provider about risks and benefits of digital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening1
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At routine exams
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Colorectal cancer
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Men at average risk 45 years and older
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Multiple tests are available and are used at different times. Possible tests include:
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Colonoscopy every 10 years, or
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Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years (or every 10 with yearly FIT stool test), or
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CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) every 5 years, or
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Yearly fecal occult blood test, or
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Yearly fecal immunochemical test (FIT) , or
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Stool DNA test, every 1 to 3 years
You will need a follow-up with a colonoscopy if you choose a test other than a colonoscopy and have an abnormal test result. Talk with your healthcare provider about which tests are 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.
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Syphilis
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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At routine exams
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Tuberculosis
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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Check with your healthcare provider
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Vision
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All men in this age group
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Every 2 to 4 years if no risk factors for eye disease2
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Vaccine
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Who needs it
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How often
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Chickenpox (varicella)
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All men in this age group who have no record of this infection or vaccine
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2 doses; the second dose should be given at least 4 weeks after the first dose
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Hepatitis A
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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2 doses given at least 6 months apart
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Hepatitis B
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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3 doses over 6 months; second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose; the third dose should be given at least 2 months after the second dose and at least 4 months after the first dose
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Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB)
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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1 to 3 doses
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Influenza (flu)
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All men in this age group
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Once a year
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Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
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All men in this age group who have no record of these infections or vaccines
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1 or 2 doses
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Meningococcal
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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1 or more doses
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Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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PCV13: 1 dose ages 19 to 65 (protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
PPSV23: 1 to 2 doses through age 64, or 1 dose at 65 or older (protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria)
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Tetanus/diphtheria/
pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster
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All men in this age group
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Td every 10 years, or a one-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster after age 18, then Td every 10 years
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Counseling
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Who needs it
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How often
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Diet and exercise
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Men who are overweight or obese
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When diagnosed, and then at routine exams
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Sexually transmitted infection prevention
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Men at increased risk for infection – talk with your healthcare provider
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At routine exams
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Use of daily aspirin
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Men ages 45 to 79 at risk for cardiovascular health problems
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At routine exams
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Use of tobacco and the health effects it can cause
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All men in this age group
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Every exam
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