Every year, millions of people die due to preventable diseases. Many have succumbed to cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, and diabetes – all of which could be managed with proper medication and could also be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle. The prevalence of these chronic diseases and the increase in deaths caused by them make preventive care all the more necessary for people of all ages. Preventive Care consists of specific measures taken to prevent diseases. It includes regular checkups, screenings, and immunizations which can save lives.

Regular Checkups

Adults and children must have their annual physical checkups to ensure that they are in good health. During these checkups, the health care provider is also able to encourage a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and daily exercise and to give medical advice on how to deal with any medical condition you may have. Regular checkups also allow you to maintain a good relationship with your health care provider. Lastly, regular checkups also help identify risk factors for diseases which can be ascertained through screenings.

Screenings

An integral part of preventive care is identifying risk factors for certain diseases and conducting screening procedures to detect diseases that may not be showing symptoms yet. Adults are usually screened for hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, cholesterol level, and certain types of cancers. Every couple of years, women undergo mammography and pap smear to screen for breast and cervical cancer. Men, on the other hand, require PSA screenings once they reach 40 years of age. Infants are given newborn screening tests to identify rare but serious conditions such as G6PD. These screenings are usually covered by health insurance Philippines.

Immunizations

Adults usually just need an annual flu vaccine which they can also get during their annual checkup. Children though require a series of vaccines which is scheduled by their pediatrician. They may have to be taken to their pediatrician around two to three times a year during the first seven years of life. It is important to stay up to date with immunizations and boosters to avoid children catching infectious diseases.

While the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is unquestionably true, many people still forego annual checkups thinking that these are just unnecessary expenses. Why would they pay for medical fees when they feel healthy and have no obvious health concerns? This line of thinking, however, is precisely the reason why many succumb to chronic diseases and die preventable deaths. Preventive care does involve expenses but compared to the cost of treating diseases, these expenses are significantly lesser. Furthermore, the best insurance companies in the Philippines now have policies that cover preventive care services like shots and screening tests with no added costs. Preventive care actually saves you money in the long run.

Preventive care is important for your entire family’s health. Adults and children alike should regularly visit their health care provider even when they feel they are in the pink of health. Many lives would be saved if more people would give more importance to disease prevention rather than on treatment.

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