Check-up examination: recommendations in adults.

Area of Science:

• Preventive medicine
• Primary care
• Public health

Background:

• Periodic health examinations (PHEs) are common in primary care, aiming to identify risk factors and early disease signs.
• PHEs are crucial for preventing future illness through early intervention, including counseling, immunization, and age/gender-specific physical exams.
• General practitioners face challenges in selecting appropriate screening methods and determining which patients require screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide updated recommendations for preventive care measures.
• To synthesize guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the Swiss Medical Board.
• To inform primary care physicians about current evidence-based screening practices.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on USPSTF guidelines.
• Inclusion of recommendations from the Swiss Medical Board.
• Analysis of current evidence for various preventive care measures.

Main Results:

• Routine screening for breast and prostate cancer in asymptomatic adults is no longer recommended.
• Annual low-dose CT screening for lung cancer is recommended for individuals aged 55-80 with a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years.
• Physicians should remain aware of patients' underlying reasons for consultations, which often influence primary care visits.

Conclusions:

• Preventive care guidelines are evolving, necessitating regular updates for clinicians.
• Screening recommendations vary based on cancer type, patient risk factors, and age.
• Effective primary care involves not only screening but also addressing patient-reported concerns and hidden agendas.