Key takeaways:
Many health conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease are treatable when they’re found at an early stage. These conditions are more common as people age.
Healthcare organizations like the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) make recommendations for screening based on the risks and benefits of the test and the disease it screens for.
Screening tests, vaccinations, and regular visits with a healthcare provider can help people live longer and healthier lives.
When it comes to living a long and healthy life, finding and treating health conditions at an early stage is key. Alongside a healthy lifestyle and regular checkups, screening tests offer people the best chance to thrive at any age.
Here are the screening tests for older adults that are recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and other leading healthcare organizations.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
What is it?
The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. Sometimes with age and certain risk factors, an area of the aorta will enlarge and become weaker. When this happens in the abdomen, it’s called an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This can then cause the aorta to tear or burst, which is life-threatening.
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Who should be screened?
The following groups should get a screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm:
Men between the ages of 65 and 75 should be screened if they have ever smoked.
Anyone with a family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm should also be screened.
How does screening work?
To test for an abdominal aortic aneurysm:
All you need is a one-time screen with an abdominal ultrasound.
A healthcare provider can refer you for the test.
Blood pressure
What is it?
Blood pressure is the amount of force your blood exerts against the walls of your blood vessels.
There are two parts to a blood pressure reading. The first number is systolic, or the amount of force when your heart is pumping. The second number is diastolic, or the amount of force when your heart rests between beats.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is diagnosed when someone has repeated measurements over 130/80.
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Who should be screened?
These are the blood pressure screening guidelines:
Adults over the age of 40 should have their blood pressure checked at least once a year.
If your blood pressure has been slightly high in the past, you may need to have it checked more often or at a younger age.
How does screening work?
To measure your blood pressure you can:
Get a reading with a blood pressure cuff in a healthcare setting, pharmacy, grocery store, or with a home monitor.
See a healthcare provider if your systolic blood pressure is consistently more than 120 or your diastolic blood pressure is more than 80.
Get medical attention right away if your systolic blood pressure is more than 180 or your diastolic blood pressure is more than 120.
Breast cancer
What is it?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S., not counting skin cancer. Breast cancer may be diagnosed after a lump is found in the breast. But screening tests can detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, when it’s more treatable.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for breast cancer screening:
Women between the ages of 40 and 74 should be screened at least every 2 years.
Women 75 and older should discuss screening with their healthcare provider, as it may be less useful in older adults.
Men should talk about screening with their healthcare provider if they’re at increased risk of breast cancer. This includes men who have a strong family history of breast cancer, certain genetic mutations, or conditions that cause high estrogen levels.
Transgender people who have breast tissue or who have taken estrogen hormones for more than 5 years should talk with their healthcare provider about screening.
How does screening work?
There are a couple of options to test for breast cancer:
Most people will be screened with a mammogram.
Some people with very dense breasts may have an MRI performed.
A healthcare provider can help you figure out the right test, and will refer you for the test.
Cervical cancer
What is it?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common infection that can live in the body for years without causing any symptoms. If the body’s immune system doesn’t clear it, it can cause precancer and cancer in the cervix.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for cervical cancer screening:
Women between the ages of 21 and 65 should be screened every 3 to 5 years, depending on whether testing for HPV was done.
Women over the age of 65 only need screening if they haven’t been routinely tested in the last 10 years, or if any of those tests were abnormal.
Women over the age of 65 who have a history of precancer or cancer of the cervix should also continue screening.
Transgender people with a cervix are screened according to the same guidelines above.
How does screening work?
A small sample of cells is taken from the cervix, and is examined for precancerous changes (commonly referred to as a Pap smear).
The sample is collected during a pelvic exam in a healthcare provider’s office.
Cholesterol
What is it?
High levels of LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”) or triglycerides can increase the risk of a heart attack and stroke. On the other hand, high levels of HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”) can help to lower the risk.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for cholesterol screening:
Adults should be screened every 5 years, at least until the age of 75.
If you have certain health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or high blood pressure, testing may be more frequent.
How is screening done?
To be screened for high cholesterol:
A healthcare provider will order a blood test.
Home testing kits are available. The results should always be discussed with a healthcare provider.
Colorectal cancer
What is it?
Colorectal cancer refers to cancer in either the large intestine or rectum. It’s the fourth most common cancer in the U.S. And the rate of colorectal cancer is increasing in people older than 50 years.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for colorectal cancer screening:
Adults who don’t have specific risk factors for colorectal cancer should start screening between the ages of 45 and 50.
People with a family history of colon cancer or polyps — or other risk factors — may start screening earlier. Examples of other risk factors include a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
People older than 75 years should talk with their healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of screening.
How does screening work?
There are several types of tests for colorectal cancer:
People who don’t have specific risk factors for colon cancer may test for the condition through a stool sample.
Screening can also be done with a small camera that looks inside the colon — like a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. This is used for people with or without risk factors.
What type of screening and how often it needs to be done depend on a person’s risk factors and preferences.
Diabetes
What is it?
Diabetes is a condition in which there’s too much sugar in the blood. It can develop at any age, and in the early stages it may not produce any noticeable symptoms. Over time, this can lead to serious health complications without treatment.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for diabetes screening:
Adults should be tested every 3 years.
People with certain health conditions or elevated glucose readings in the past may need to test more often.
How does screening work?
Diabetes testing can be done a couple of different ways:
Most often, diabetes screening is done with a blood test in a healthcare provider’s office. This includes testing your blood sugar and an HbA1c test. This lab test tells your average blood sugar level over time, rather than just in the moment.
Home HbA1c tests are available. So are blood sugar monitors, but these are intended for people with diabetes — not for diagnosis. If you happen to test your own HgA1c or blood sugar, discuss your results with your healthcare provider.
Eyes
What is it?
Eye exams are about more than glasses. A complete eye exam can detect conditions that may get worse over time — like glaucoma, cataracts, and changes from diabetes and high blood pressure. And even small changes in vision can have an important effect on activities like driving.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for vision screening:
Adults over the age of 60 should have a full eye exam every 1 to 2 years.
People with eye conditions may need an exam more often.
How does screening work?
Screening is done in the office of either an optometrist or ophthalmologist. A complete exam includes dilating the pupils to look for problems in the back of the eye.
The eye exam to renew a driver license will check some aspects of your vision. But it can’t detect eye conditions that may get worse if untreated.
Hearing
What is it?
About 1 in 3 people between 65 and 74 years have some age-related hearing loss. After the age of 75, that number goes up to half. And people with untreated hearing loss have a higher risk of dementia.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for a hearing test:
People without symptoms don’t need to be screened. But because hearing loss comes on slowly, the person doesn’t always notice symptoms themselves. Family and friends can help a person know if their hearing seems to be getting worse.
People should also be screened if they have been exposed to a lot of loud noises or medications that can affect hearing.
How does screening work?
Hearing tests are done by an audiologist. This is someone who has special training in speech and hearing. Medicare covers the cost of a hearing screen with a referral from a healthcare provider.
Infectious diseases
What is it?
Infectious diseases cause illness through a bacteria, virus, or fungus. Your immune system takes care of most of them. But a few infections can stick around for a long time. When people don’t know they have them, they can cause serious problems over time.
Who should be screened?
Healthcare professionals recommend the following groups to test for infectious diseases:
Adults between the ages of 18 and 79 should be screened once for hepatitis C. This is a virus that can cause liver damage.
People between the ages of 15 and 65 should be screened at least once for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Depending on risk factors, some people will be screened more often.
A healthcare provider may also recommend screening for other silent infections like syphilis and chlamydia.
How does screening work?
Testing for infectious diseases include several options:
Your healthcare provider will order a blood test.
Home testing kits for HIV and hepatitis C are available. But like any home test, it’s important to discuss these with your provider to ensure the results are accurate.
Lung cancer
What is it?
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Smoking is the biggest risk factor.
Who should be screened?
Here are the guidelines for lung cancer screening from the American Cancer Society (ACS):
Adults between 50 and 80 years should be screened if they have a 20 pack-year history of smoking or more. (One pack-year is the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes a day. So for someone who smokes half of a pack a day, it takes 2 years to reach a pack-year. For someone who smokes 2 packs a day, every 6 months is a pack-year.)
Even if you have quit smoking, you should still be screened if you have a 20 pack-year history.
How does screening work?
Experts are increasingly recommending screening for lung cancer. This can be done with a low-dose CT scan, which is a rapid, painless test that takes a close look at the lungs. A healthcare provider can refer you for the test.
Osteoporosis
What is it?
Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone strength that can occur with age and some medical conditions. It’s more common in women and females. Osteoporosis doesn’t have symptoms, but it increases the risk of fractures.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for osteoporosis screening:
Women, females, and transgender people who are 65 and older should be screened.
Men, males, and postmenopausal women younger than 65 years may be screened if they have other risk factors for osteoporosis.
How does screening work?
You can test for osteoporosis with a DEXA scan. This is a painless test that uses X-rays to check bone density. A healthcare provider will refer you for the test.
Prostate cancer
What is it?
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among males in the U.S. other than skin cancer. It’s a treatable form of cancer when caught in its early stages.
Who should be screened?
These are the guidelines for prostate cancer screening:
Men, males, and transgender people who have a prostate are candidates for screening between the ages of 55 and 69.
It’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of a screening test. For some people, the risks of treatment may be greater than the risks of an early-stage cancer.
How does screening work?
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a blood test that can help detect prostate cancer.
The bottom line
Many health conditions don’t have symptoms in their early stages. But that’s when diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease are most treatable. Having regular checkups, staying up-to-date with recommended vaccines, and discussing screening tests with your healthcare provider are important short-term investments in your long-term health.
Why trust our experts?
References
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American College of Radiology. (2021). Transgender breast cancer screening.
American Optometric Association. (n.d.). Senior vision: Over 60 years of age.
Boyd, J. (2020). Eye health information for adults over 65. American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Radiation in healthcare: Bone density (DEXA Scan).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). HIV self-testing.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Get a cholesterol test.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Measure your blood pressure.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). What should I know about screening?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Who should be screened for lung cancer?
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Ianzito, C. (2018). Older adults need more focus on vision. AARP.
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2023). What is diabetes?
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Radix, A., et al. (2016). Bone health and osteoporosis. UCSF Transgender Care.
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U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2019). Abdominal aortic aneurysm: Screening.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2018). Osteoporosis to prevent fractures: Screening.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2013). Screening for hearing loss in older adults: Recommendation statement. American Family Physician.
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