Spring isn’t just for cleaning your house. It’s also the perfect time to check in on your health.

Preventive care means catching problems before they become serious. It’s the checkups, screenings, and vaccines that keep you healthy instead of waiting until something goes wrong.

The problem is that most people skip preventive care. Sometimes it’s because they feel fine. Sometimes it’s because they don’t know what they’re supposed to do or when. Sometimes it’s because they can’t afford to miss work or don’t have insurance

What Preventive Care Actually Includes

Your preventive care checklist depends on your age, gender, and health history, but here are the basics most adults need:

• Annual wellness visit with a primary care doctor
• Blood pressure check at least once a year
• Cholesterol screening starting at age 20
• Diabetes screening if you have risk factors
• Cancer screenings based on your age (mammograms, colonoscopy, cervical cancer screening)
• STI testing if you’re sexually active
• Dental cleaning twice a year
• Vaccinations including flu, COVID, and others based on your age

Why It Matters

Preventive care saves lives. High blood pressure doesn’t hurt, but it leads to heart attacks and strokes. Diabetes can develop silently for years before symptoms show up. Cancer caught early is far more treatable than cancer caught late.

Preventive care also saves money. Treating a chronic disease costs far more than preventing it in the first place.

How to Get Started

If you have insurance, most preventive services are covered with no out-of-pocket cost. That includes your annual checkup and most screenings.

If you don’t have insurance, community health centers and health departments offer preventive services on a sliding scale based on income. Five Health’s resource navigators can help you find low-cost or free options in your area.

Download our preventive care checklist from our Resources page and schedule your appointments this spring. Your future self will thank you.