Be Smart: Get Screened
Stay on top of your health with screenings and immunizations
As you get older, you're at greater risk for certain illnesses and diseases. While you can't stop aging, you can detect and prevent illnesses and diseases early on. Screenings can help find issues early so they can be more successfully treated.
Most screenings are based on age, sex, health, and family history. Mammograms and prostate exams are two options you may have heard about that can screen for cancer. But, there are many different recommended screenings for both women and men.
Learn about recommended screenings and immunizations in this video and talk with your health care provider about which ones are right for you.
Learn about screenings
Getting screened can mean living a healthier life. This might be vaccinations, checking your blood pressure, getting a mental health evaluation, or screening for different types of cancer.
My HealtheVet has two screening tools available online. The depression screening and the PTSD screening are a series of simple questions. Only you can see the results. You can choose to share them with your health care provider. If you're concerned, ask your doctor about additional screenings.
You can learn about types of cancer and the recommended screenings through the Veterans Health Library. You will also find a library of information on prevention and wellness from VA's National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Remember: Don't forget to get your flu shot this year. Veterans enrolled in VA health care can get a free flu shot at a VA health care facility starting in mid-September. Talk to your health care team in a Secure Message (sign in required) about getting your flu shot or other immunizations.
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Read More
Mammogram for Breast Cancer (Veterans Health Library)
Pap Test for Cervical Cancer (Veterans Health Library)
Colonoscopy and Other Tests for Colorectal Cancer (Veterans Health Library)
Updated July 22, 2022
