The test results are in: You probably need fewer tests. For example, in May the US Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of experts, declared that the PSA blood test to screen for prostate cancer should no longer be done: It doesn’t lower death rates, and treatment can have nasty side effects. “The health care field really promoted screening and prevention,” USPSTF chair Virginia Moyer says. “And it caught on without people recognizing that there are downsides.” So do you do whatever the group says? Or do you seek out a second opinion? The answer depends on who you are.
You only trust the source files. Lucky you. The USPSTF posts its study-by-study breakdowns online. They’re intended for physicians, not laypeople—but no one would take you for a layperson.
You just want answers. Fine. Simply enter your info into the “services selector” on the website. It’ll tell you what screens or preventive medications you need. Or don’t need.
You only trust your doc. Talk to your physician about your personal health risks (maybe your family history means you really should get a PSA test). If your MD won’t spend the time, get a new one.
You need more data. Explore the recommendations of other health groups if you must. But consider the motives of each. What do urologists have to gain from PSA tests, or radiologists from mammograms? Once you’ve done the research, you can opt in—or out—as you choose.
Input | Exercise
Input | Information
Input | Sleep
Input | Nutrition
Output | Performance
Output | Wellness
Output | Longevity
