Screening tests for men

General health

Full checkup
Ages 18-39: Every five years or so. Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Every year or two. Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Every year or two. Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Ages 65+: Once if you have ever smoked.

Heart health

Blood pressure test
Ages 18-39: At least every 2 years
Ages 40-49: At least every 2 years
Ages 50-64: Yearly
Ages 65+: Yearly

Cholesterol test
Ages 18-39: Start at age 20, discuss with your doctor or nurse. At least every 5 years starting at age 35.
Ages 40-49: At least every 5 years. Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: At least every 3-5 years, if normal. Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Every 3 to 5 years, if normal. Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Diabetes

Blood sugar test
Ages 18-39: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 40-49: Start at age 45, then every 3 years.
Ages 50-64: Every 3 years
Ages 65+: Every 3 years

Prostate health

Digital rectal exam
Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Prostate-Specific Antigen blood test
Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Reproductive health

Testicular exam
Ages 18-39: Monthly self-exam and part of a general checkup.
Ages 40-49: Monthly self-exam and part of a general checkup.
Ages 50-64: Monthly self-exam and part of a general checkup.
Ages 65+: Monthly self-exam and part of a general checkup.

Chlamydia test
Ages 18-39: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Sexually transmitted disease tests
Ages 18-39: Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before having sex.
Ages 40-49: Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before having sex.
Ages 50-64: Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before having sex.
Ages 65+: Both partners should get tested for STDs, including HIV, before having sex.

Colorectal health

Your doctor will help you decide which test is right for you.

Occult blood test
Ages 40-49: Yearly in men 30 to 50 years old.
Ages 50-64: Yearly
Ages 65+: Yearly

Flexible sigmoidoscopy
Ages 50-64: Every 5 years
Ages 65+: Every 3-5 years

Double contrast barium enema
Ages 50-64: Every 5-10 years if not having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.
Ages 65+: Every 5-10 years if not having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.

Colonoscopy
Ages 50-64: Every 10 years
Ages 65+: Every 10 years

Rectal exam
Ages 18-39: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 40-49: Yearly in men 30 to 50 years old.
Ages 50-64: Every 5 to 10 years, with each screening (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or DCBE)
Ages 65+: Every 5 to 10 years with each screening (sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or DCBE)

Eye and ear health

Eye exam
Ages 18-39: Get eyes checked if you have problems.
Ages 40-49: Every 2-4 years
Ages 50-64: Yearly
Ages 65+: yearly

Hearing test
Ages 18-39: Starting at age 18, then every 10 years.
Ages 40-49: Every 10 years
Ages 50-64: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Skin health

Mole exam
Ages 18-39: Monthly mole self-exam, by a doctor every 3 years starting at age 20.
Ages 40-49: Monthly mole self-exam, by a doctor every year.
Ages 50-64: Monthly mole self-exam, by a doctor every year.
Ages 65+: Monthly mole self-exam, by a doctor every year.

Oral health

Dental exam
Ages 18-39: Once or twice a year
Ages 40-49: Once or twice a year
Ages 50-64: Once or twice a year
Ages 65+: Once or twice a year

Mental health screening

Ages 18-39: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Immunizations

Influenza vaccine
Ages 18-39: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Yearly
Ages 65+: Yearly

Pneumococcal vaccine
Ages 65+: Once

Tetanus-diphtheria booster vaccine
Ages 18-39: Every 10 years
Ages 40-49: Every 10 years
Ages 50-64: Every 10 years
Ages 65+: Every 10 years

Thyroid function

Ages 40-49: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 50-64: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.
Ages 65+: Discuss with your doctor or nurse.

Resources: American Academy of Family Physicians; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; National Women's Health Information Center,U.S Department of Health and Human Services; American Medical Association.

How healthy are Treasure Valley men?

By Colleen LaMay

The information below is from a telephone survey of Idahoans who answered questions about their illnesses and their bad habits.

General health: Respondents were asked to rate their health as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. In 2005, 14.9 percent of adults statewide said their general health was fair or poor, the most in the previous 10 years. In the areas including Ada County, 12.2 percent of men said they were in fair or poor health. A total of 18.2 percent of men in the Canyon County area say the same thing.

Diabetes: The prevalence of diabetes had nearly doubled in the previous 10 years, mirroring a national trend. The largest percentage of cases were overweight Idahoans ages 56 or older with less than a college education. Since 1996, the percentage of Idaho adults with diabetes had increased 94 percent, from 3.5 percent to 6.8 percent. A total of 5.9 percent of men in Ada County said they had diabetes. In neighboring Canyon County, 4.4 percent of men said the same thing.

Asthma: The prevalence of asthma hadn't changed much since 1999. In the areas including Ada and Canyon counties, 4.7 percent of men said they had asthma.

Leisure-time physical activity: Fewer Idahoans said they were getting exercise or staying active during their off-hours. Fourteen percent of Ada County area men said they got no leisure-time physical activity. In Canyon County, 30 percent of men didn't engage in leisure-time physical activity.

Overweight: We're getting heavier. In Ada County, more than half of adult men, 66 percent, said they were overweight, compared with 75 percent in Canyon County. Of those who were overweight, 24 percent were obese, or 50 or more pounds over their ideal weight. The Canyon County figure is 31 percent.

Cigarette smoking: After dropping significantly the previous decade, the prevalence of cigarette smoking leveled off in 2005 at a statewide average of 17.9 percent. In Ada County, 16 percent of men smoked. In Canyon County, 27 percent of men smoked.

Binge drinking is defined as downing five or more alcoholic beverages on a single occasion in the past 30 days. The highest rates statewide were in the health district that includes Ada County. In Ada County, 27.1 percent of men reported binge drinking. In Canyon County, 21.9 percent reported binge drinking.

Illegal drug use statewide had remained virtually unchanged at about 5 percent for several years. In Ada County, 5.9 percent of men said they use illegal drugs. In Canyon County, 8.5 percent of men reported using illegal drugs.

Dental visits: In Ada County, 30 percent of men said they had not seen a dentist in the past year. In Canyon County, the figure was 40 percent.

Source: "Idaho Behavioral Risk Factors," 2005 edition, Bureau of Health Policy and Vital Statistics, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Find out how to get the full report here.