Health screenings by age aren’t about hunting for bad news—they’re about stacking the odds in your favor. The right test at the right time can catch problems early and sometimes prevent disease altogether. In this decade-by-decade guide, you’ll learn exactly what to test and when, so you can plan smarter visits, avoid unnecessary screenings, and stay current with vaccines. Think of it as a proven checklist for health screenings by age you can actually use.
This article is part of our Complete Guide to Preventive Health, where we cover habits, early signs, and long-term wellness strategies.
Ready to stop guessing and start prioritizing? Let’s map it out.
Table of Contents
Health screenings by age: how to use this guide
Before we break things down by decade, a few principles will help you tailor your plan:
- Personal risk matters: Family history, medications, pregnancy plans, past results, and lifestyle can shift timelines. Ask your clinician how these shape health screenings by age for you.
- Frequency changes with results: Normal? You may space out tests. Borderline? You may go sooner.
- Screenings are not symptoms: If you have symptoms, don’t wait—book a diagnostic visit now.
- Keep records handy: Bring your vaccine history, last labs, and family history updates to every preventive visit.
- Use team-based care: Pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, and mental health professionals are all part of prevention.
I’ve taught community health workshops for years, and the biggest win isn’t a fancy test—it’s creating a simple, repeatable routine. Start there.
Ages 0–17: Build the foundation
For kids and teens, prevention focuses on growth, development, safety, and vaccines. These early health screenings by age set up lifelong habits.
- Well-child visits: Track growth, development, vision, hearing, and behavior. Pediatricians follow evidence-based schedules.
- Vaccines: Stay on the CDC immunization schedule. This protects against serious illness and helps prevent outbreaks.
- Oral health: First dental visit by age 1; cleanings every 6 months.
- Vision and hearing: Periodic screenings; earlier if concerns arise.
- Mental health: Pediatricians screen for depression/anxiety, especially in adolescence.
- Lipid screening: A one-time cholesterol check in late childhood or adolescence may be recommended to catch familial disorders.
- Sports physicals: Useful for participation, but not a substitute for a full preventive visit.
Ages 18–29: Establish your baselines
Young adulthood is the time to set baselines that make future health screenings by age more precise.
- Blood pressure: Check at every visit or at least yearly (AHA guidance).
- Weight and BMI: Track trends; focus on nutrition, sleep, and movement rather than quick fixes.
- Mental health: Annual depression screening is common in primary care.
- Sexual health: STI screening based on risk; all adults should be screened for HIV at least once and for hepatitis C once between ages 18–79 (USPSTF).
- Cervical cancer: Starting at 21, Pap test every 3 years through age 29 (ACOG/USPSTF).
- Vaccines: Annual flu; COVID-19 boosters as recommended; Tdap once, then Td/Tdap every 10 years; HPV series through age 26 if not fully vaccinated (CDC).
- Lipids: Consider a baseline fasting lipid panel in your twenties, especially with risk factors or family history.
Pro tip: Set calendar reminders after each visit. Prevention is a habit, not a one-off.
Ages 30–39: Lock in routines, plan ahead
Life gets busy—your prevention plan should get simpler, not slip away. Use health screenings by age to keep your routine on track.
- Blood pressure, weight, mental health: Keep annual checks.
- Cervical cancer: Ages 30–65 can choose primary HPV testing every 5 years, co-testing (HPV + Pap) every 5 years, or Pap alone every 3 years (ACOG/USPSTF).
- Lipids: Repeat every 4–6 years (or more often if you have risk factors or prior abnormalities).
- Diabetes risk: Screen earlier if you have overweight/obesity, family history, PCOS, or prior gestational diabetes (USPSTF).
- Thyroid: Not for routine screening in low-risk adults; check if symptomatic or pregnant.
- Vaccines: Keep boosters current; ensure HPV series completion if eligible.
- Fertility and pregnancy planning: Discuss preconception care, folic acid, medication safety, and genetic screening options.
A client I coached moved her Pap to the same month as her birthday. A decade later, she hasn’t missed. Pick a month you’ll remember.
Ages 40–49: Start key cancer screenings
This decade is where targeted screening really pays off. These health screenings by age have strong evidence behind them.
- Mammograms: The USPSTF recommends starting at 40 and repeating every 2 years. Some groups suggest annually; discuss your risk and local guidelines.
- Colorectal cancer: Start at 45 for average-risk adults. Options include stool tests (FIT annually or stool DNA every 1–3 years) or colonoscopy every 10 years if normal.
- Diabetes: Screen adults 35–70 with overweight/obesity (USPSTF).
- Lipids and heart risk: Check cholesterol and calculate 10-year ASCVD risk; consider statin therapy if risk is elevated.
- Hepatitis B: One-time screening for adults 18+.
- Eye exams: Every 2–4 years, or sooner with vision changes, diabetes, or risk factors.
- Skin health: Know your moles and sun habits; clinicians can assess concerning lesions.
Case in point: Jamal, 46, postponed colorectal screening until a friend’s nudge led him to a FIT test. It was positive; a follow-up colonoscopy removed precancerous polyps. That’s prevention doing its job.
Ages 50–64: Expand screening, prevent fractures
You’re now building on earlier health screenings by age and adding bone and lung health (if eligible).
- Colorectal cancer: Continue per your chosen method and prior results.
- Mammograms: Continue every 1–2 years.
- Prostate cancer (men): Discuss PSA testing ages 55–69; it’s a shared decision balancing benefits and harms (USPSTF).
- Lung cancer: Annual low-dose CT for ages 50–80 with a 20 pack-year history who currently smoke or quit within 15 years (USPSTF).
- Diabetes and lipids: Keep regular screening; manage blood pressure and cholesterol aggressively if elevated.
- Bone health: Consider earlier osteoporosis assessment if you have risk factors (e.g., long-term steroids, low body weight, prior fracture, smoking). Women with risks may need a DXA before 65.
- Vaccines: Shingles (Shingrix) two-dose series starting at 50; flu annually; COVID-19; Td/Tdap every 10 years; consider hepatitis A/B if indicated (CDC).
- Oral, vision, hearing: Annual dental visits; hearing check if you notice changes; regular eye exams.
Ages 65+: Stay strong, simplify vaccines, tailor screening
At this stage, the goal of health screenings by age is to protect function, independence, and quality of life.
- Colorectal cancer: Continue through 75; ages 76–85 are individualized based on health, prior screening, and preferences (USPSTF/ACS).
- Mammograms: Continue through at least 74; beyond that, individualize based on overall health and life expectancy.
- Bone density (women): DXA at 65. Repeat depends on initial results. For men, discuss risk-based testing.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm (men): One-time ultrasound for those 65–75 who have ever smoked.
- Vaccines: Pneumococcal (PCV20 once, or PCV15 followed by PPSV23 per CDC); high-dose flu annually; COVID-19 boosters; Td/Tdap every 10 years; RSV vaccine via shared decision-making starting at 60.
- Cognitive, falls, and function: Clinicians often assess memory, gait/balance, home safety, and medications. Keep activity, strength training, and social connection front and center.
- Hearing and vision: Test if you or your family notice changes—untreated hearing loss is linked to falls and cognitive strain.
As goals evolve, so should screening. The aim is quality years, not just more tests.
Quick reference table: What to test and when
Use this compact view to plan health screenings by age and book the right test at the right time.
| Age Group | Screening/Test | Start | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–29 | Blood Pressure | 18 | Each visit or yearly |
| 18–29 | HIV & Hep C | Once in adulthood | Once (repeat if risk) |
| 21–29 | Cervical (Pap) | 21 | Every 3 yrs |
| 30–65 | Cervical (HPV/Pap) | 30 | HPV q5y, co-test q5y, or Pap q3y |
| 40–74 | Mammogram | 40 | Every 1–2 yrs |
| 45–75 | Colorectal cancer | 45 | FIT yearly; colonoscopy q10y |
| 50–80 | Lung CT (eligible) | 50 | Yearly |
| 55–69 | Prostate (PSA) | 55 | Individualized |
| 65+ (women) | Bone density (DXA) | 65 | Per results |
| 65–75 (men) | AAA ultrasound | 65 | Once |
Note: Vaccines are ongoing across all ages.
Your 15-minute checklist for any preventive visit
Use this mini-plan to get the most out of health screenings by age and keep your plan effortless.
Before your appointment:
- Update your family history (new diagnoses in parents/siblings).
- List medications and supplements with doses.
- Bring recent labs, vaccine records, and home blood pressure readings.
- Write down top 3 questions (e.g., “Should I start colorectal screening at 45?”).
During your visit:
- Ask how your age and risk shape screening timing.
- Review pros and cons of options (e.g., stool test vs. colonoscopy).
- Clarify follow-up intervals if results are normal vs. borderline.
After your visit:
- Schedule the next screening before you leave.
- Set reminders in your calendar.
- Share the plan with a partner or friend for accountability.
FAQs that save time and stress
- Do I need yearly “full-body” bloodwork? Not always. Testing should be targeted. Your clinician orders labs based on age, risk, and prior results.
- What if I’m late to screening? Start now. Schedules are flexible; your clinician can help you catch up efficiently.
- Are online risk calculators useful? Yes. ASCVD tools for heart disease and the Gail model for breast cancer can guide discussions—but they’re not a diagnosis.
- What about genetic testing? Consider it if you have strong family histories (e.g., early breast/ovarian cancer, colon cancer, or multiple relatives with the same cancer). A genetics counselor can help.
- Can screenings cause harm? Rarely, but false positives and overdiagnosis are possible. That’s why shared decision-making is essential for tests like PSA and some imaging.
The bottom line
Prevention works best when it’s personal, predictable, and practical. Use this guide to plan health screenings by age, keep vaccines current, and choose the right test at the right time. The payoff isn’t just early detection—it’s more ease and control over your health decisions. If you’re due (or unsure), book a preventive visit this week and bring this guide along. Your future self will thank you.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Always tailor screening with your clinician based on your history and preferences.
