Also called: Also called: Annual checkup, Annual physical examination, Routine physical examination
Regular health exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, when your chances for treatment and cure are better. Which exams and screenings you need depends on your age, health and family history, and lifestyle choices such as what you eat, how active you are, and whether you smoke.
To make the most of your next check-up, here are some things to do before you go:
- Review your family health history
- Find out if you are due for any general screenings or vaccinations
- Write down a list of issues and questions to take with you
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Preventive Services for Healthy Living(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/prevention/175.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/healthy/prevention/175.printerview.html
- Regular Check-Ups Are Important(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/family/checkup/
- Staying Healthy in an Era of Patient Responsibility(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/screening.html
- Diabetes Checkups: Why You Need Them, How to Prepare(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/diabetes/DA00037/METHOD=print
- Eye Exams: What to Expect(Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology) - http://www.eyecareamerica.org/eyecare/treatment/eye-exams.cfm
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Have a Dental Checkup Before You Travel(American Dental Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/jada/patient/patient_39.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.ada.org/public/espanol/patient/checkup_travel.pdf
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Be Prepared for Medical Appointments(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/beprepared.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/bepreparedsp.htm
- Check-Up Checklist: Things to Do Before Your Next Check-Up(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/family/checkuplist/index.htm
- Questions to Ask during Your Annual Physical(InteliHealth) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH?d=dmtATD&c=465911
- Will a Routine Physical Uncover Every Problem?(InteliHealth) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW011/9273/24272/367712.html?d=dmtHMSContent
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Physical Examination(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Physical+Examination%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Breast cancer screening policies in developing countries: a cost-effectiveness analysis... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18780864&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The role of behavioral, normative and control beliefs in breast... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18714711&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Web alert: health-promotion resources for obesity and overweight. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18700103&tool=MedlinePlus
- Health Checkup -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=((physical+examination[majr]+AND+preventive+health+services[majr])+NOT+obesity[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - http://www.ahrq.gov/
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cdc.gov/spanish/
- KidsHealth(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/index_noflash.html
- Going to the Doctor(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feel_better/people/going_to_dr.html
- Well-Baby Exams: What to Expect(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/healthy-baby/PR00026/METHOD=print
- Your Child's Checkups(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/medical/checkups.html
- Physical Examination: Adolescent Male(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1451/mainpageS1451P0.html
- Your Daughter's First Gynecological Exam(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/medical/first_gyn.html
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Men: Stay Healthy at Any Age(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthymen.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthymensp.htm
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Real Men Wear Gowns(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/realmen/
Also available in Spanish http://www.ahrq.gov/superheroes/
- General Screenings and Immunizations for Women(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/whw/healthinfo/screeningcharts/index.cfm
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Women: Stay Healthy at Any Age(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthywom.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/healthywomsp.htm
- One-Time "Welcome to Medicare" Physical Exam(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.medicare.gov/Health/physicalexam.asp
- Adult Preventive Care Timeline(Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) - Links to PDF - http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/timelinead.pdf
- Health Screening - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthscreening.html
- Healthy Living - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthyliving.html
- Wellness and Lifestyle - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wellnessandlifestyle.html