Common Screenings for Women, Essay Example

Introduction

Health screening is an important factor in disease prevention. There are many screenings that women can have done to help with disease detection. Even if one is feeling fine, it is still a good idea to see a physician on a regular basis to check for potential problems. For example, many people who have high blood pressure don’t even know it. Likewise, high cholesterol often does not produce any symptoms until the disease is in its advanced stages. According to Raymond, S.U., Greenberg, H. M &, Leeder, S. R. 2012, in 2011 there is over 158 million females in the United States. This number represents more than half the population in the United States. Women are faced with many conditions and health risks. Some of these health risks are directly linked to geographic area, education, and income. Despite the barriers, women must be committed to improving their health and well-being by have access to primary and preventive care.  Each woman’s health depends on many factors-ethnicities, geographic, and hereditary. Every woman needs to practice healthy habits. Regular exercise, eating healthy foods, and routine health screening are great habits to ensure a healthy life. Pap smears and pelvic exams, mammograms, and cholesterol checks are three screenings that all women should have to ensure living a healthy life.

Pap Smears/Pelvic Exams

Every woman should have a pap smear and pelvic exam by the age of 21. However, women who are sexually active and have not yet reached the age of 21 should also have the exam done. Women should have this screening every two years. During the screening, the doctor will check for any abnormalities that may be in the reproductive system.  Years ago, it was suggested that women should have a pap smear/pelvic exams once a year. However, led by recent research and guidelines for cervical cancer screening, the screening suggestion has changed from once a year to once every two years. Women who are 30 years of age and older may have the screening every three years, if they have had three normal readings in a row.  During the exam, the doctor places a speculum inside the vagina to open the vaginal canal. The doctor then uses a small brush to remove cells from the cervix. This sampling is sent to a lab that tests any cell changes that could lead to cervical cancer. Deaths from cervical cancer have decreased over 70 percent in the last 50 years-screening has been widely used in the last 50 years. (Looker, P. 2010).

Mammograms/Breast Exams

Mammograms and breast exams are very important. Women aged 20 and older should have a clinical breast exam every three years until they reach the age of 40. During a doctor’s exam of a woman’s breast, he/she will use the fingers to examine the breast for lumps or dimples. At age 40, women should have a mammogram. This is a screening that tests for breast cancer. This screening involves using a machine that takes x-ray pictures of the breast. A specialist will then view those pictures for any abnormalities. According to Hoffman, E., Maraldo, P., Coons, H. L., & Johnson, K. 2011, “Mammography has helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the U.S. by nearly one-third since 1990. They go on to say that women who have annual mammograms can have any cancers detect early when it is most treatable.

Cholesterol Check

Women should begin getting their cholesterol checked every five years starting at the age of 20. This is an important screening because high cholesterol levels have been directly linked to risk of heart disease. “Cardiovascular disease affects more than 65 million Americans and close to one million of those have a  heart attack each year.” Someone dies every 39 seconds of cardiovascular disease” (Chalich, T., & White, J. P. 2010).  This test can be performed in the doctor’s office. A small sample of blood will be drawn from the patient-finger-prick. The sample will be tested to verify if the patient is within the ideal level of 200 mg for total cholesterol.

Conclusion

Women are faced with many health related obstacles. To ensure a healthy life and longevity, women should get regular screenings for pap smears and pelvic exams, mammograms, and cholesterol. These screenings can provide information and options for women. If they were to be diagnosed with cancer or heart disease, it is imperative that these disorders are identified in the earliest stage possible. Survival rates are higher when diseases are identified in the early stages.

References

Chalich, T., & White, J. P. (2010). Providing primary care to poor urban women. Nursing Forum, 32(2), 23-28

Hoffman, E., Maraldo, P., Coons, H. L., & Johnson, K. (2011). The women-centered health care team: integrating perspectives from managed care, women’s health, and the health professional workforce. Women’s Health Issues, 7(6), 362-374; discussion 375-369.

Looker, P. (2010). Women’s health centers: history and evolution. Women Health Issues, 3(2):95-100

Raymond, S.U., Greenberg, H. M., Leeder, S. R. (2012). Beyond Reproduction: women’s health in today’s developing world. International Journal of Epidemiology. 34(5), 1144-8.