10 preventive health screenings and assessments you should complete by the time you turn 30

The notion of turning 30 is daunting for some of us (can’t we stay in our fun-loving twenties forever?). It’s easy to perceive a checklist we want to cross off before we hit that milestone — find The One. Buy a house. Land your dream job. Get a dog.

But wait — when was the last time you had a physical, or got that funky mole on your arm checked out? What should you be getting your blood tested for, again?

Dr. Genevieve Brauning with Novant Health SouthPark Family Physicians. Courtesy of Novant Health

We had a quick chat with Dr. Genevieve Brauning with Novant Health SouthPark Family Physicians to get her recommendations for general preventive screenings and tests to have done by your doctor by age 30. She gave us a list of the screenings and laboratory tests done during a routine annual physical.

If you need some motivation: “These are the types of things that fall through the cracks if you skip your annual physical and only see the doctor when you are sick,” Dr. Brauning said. “Many young patients assume they are healthy because they feel perfectly fine. A physical is a great chance to screen for things that can become major problems if we don’t address them early on.”

She added that an annual physical should only take about 30 minutes and should be covered 100 percent by your health insurance as a preventive service.

Here are 10 health screenings and assessments you should complete by the time you turn 30:

(1) Alcohol misuse screening and counseling

A simple questionnaire is the screening tool to determine if you misuse alcohol. If answers raise a red flag, your doctor will follow up with further questioning to determine if your level of alcohol use suggests dependence or could put you at risk for long-term organ damage, Dr. Brauning said. Your doctor can also give you personalized advice about what amount and frequency of alcohol use is safe for you.

(2) Blood pressure screening

Blood pressure, screened with a cuff, is exhibited by two numbers: top (systolic) and bottom (diastolic). For a healthy person under age 30, a normal range is under 135 on the top and under 85 on the bottom. If you are under age 30 but have other medical problems or diseases in your family, your blood pressure goal may be lower than 135/85. If you are at risk for developing high blood pressure, your doctor can make recommendations for a diet and exercise plan that will reduce your risk.

(3) Breast cancer risk assessment

The screening tool is a line of questioning about family history of cancers (yes, men can get breast cancer, too). If you do have a family history of cancers, your doctor will delve deeper into the type, the age and relationship of that person to you. A later step could be genetic testing for the BRCA mutation, which increases the risk of breast cancer.

(4) Cervical cancer screening

Screening for this cancer in women is accomplished with a Pap smear, which looks for any abnormal cells on the cervix, as well as for HPV infection. Women should have their first Pap smear at age 21.

(5) Screening for sexually transmitted infections

If you’re sexually active, it’s recommended that you get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia (both can be tested through urine) and syphilis (tested through blood). 

(6) HIV screening 

Did you know you should get tested for HIV (through a blood test), regardless of sexual activity or perceived risk? HIV can be transmitted via a variety of body fluids like blood, semen and breast milk, plus shared needles and transfusions.

(7) Depression screening

Depression screening is accomplished with a questionnaire. If needed, your doctor will assess suicide risk and encourage you to seek treatment such as counseling or medication.

(8) Diabetes screening

To screen for diabetes, your sugar levels get tested through blood. If the levels are high enough to indicate diabetes, medication is the next step. If the levels are indicative of pre-diabetes, lifestyle counseling and an appointment with a nutritionist may be next. Normal blood sugar levels after fasting for this test are under 100.

(9) Obesity screening and counseling

Obesity screening just involves getting weighed. If you’re overweight, the conversation moves to diet and exercise, plus possible referral to a dietitian.

(10) Tobacco use counseling and intervention

Tobacco screening involves questions about current and past tobacco/nicotine use. If you are currently using tobacco/nicotine products, your doctor will encourage you to quit and discuss developing a “Quit Plan” and potential medications to increase your chance of success.

Perhaps surprisingly, a routine skin check is not on this list of recommendations for healthy people before age 30. But, Dr. Brauning said, if you notice something on your skin changing, or have a question about your skin, definitely get it checked out. She pointed to the American Academy of Dermatology’s advice that routine visits to a dermatologist are unnecessary for someone under age 40 who doesn’t have any skin concerns, and who doesn’t have an increased risk of skin cancer.

As honorable mentions outside of routine physical screenings, Dr. Brauning recommends a general dental and vision exam as well.

So should you freak out if you haven’t done any of these things yet? No — but get a physical on your schedule.

“It’s preventing things from becoming a problem,” Dr. Brauning said. “You might not feel something that takes you to a doctor, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have things that need to be addressed.”

This story was originally published September 7, 2018 at 2:10 AM.