The Importance of Preventive Care

Did you know that before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, only 8% of the population over age 35 were getting all their medically recommended preventive care services? According to Reuters, this includes anything from blood pressure and cholesterol checks to mental health counseling and cancer screenings. Plus, minority and underserved populations have a disproportionate number of people skipping their preventive care screenings. All these factors add up to more missed opportunities for people to prevent chronic diseases.

Dr. Tich Changamire, Chief Medical Officer at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, recently wrote for the AFRO American News discussing the importance of preventive care for overall health and well-being. In the article, Tich details how visiting a primary care physician should be a part of everyone’s yearly resolutions.

While options for receiving care increased drastically through the pandemic, such as telehealth visits, in-person touchpoints with a qualified health professional are still often skipped. Through a preventive screening appointment with a doctor, many diseases can be found before they become unmanageable. It’s essential to schedule a routine, in-person appointment with your doctor every year to stay healthy.