Hello. I’m Dr Arefa Cassoobhoy, a practicing internist, Medscape advisor, and senior medical director for WebMD. Welcome to Morning Report, our 1-minute news story for primary care.
A survey was conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, with more than 2000 respondents aged 35 or older. A startling proportion—92%—didn’t receive all recommended high-priority preventive care.
The 15 services considered essential for all adults include screening for hypertension, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis. Cancer screening is also a priority, in particular for breast, colon, prostate, and cervical cancer. The list also includes screening with counseling for obesity, tobacco or alcohol use, and depression. The high-priority vaccines are influenza, zoster, and pneumococcal. Finally, adults should be counseled on aspirin use.
The most common preventive service provided to adults was blood pressure checks, and the least common was shingles vaccination.
Not getting preventive services could be a result of lack of insurance, not having a regular provider, or delayed access to care. In any case, this list may help you prioritize preventive care when the opportunity is available during a clinic visit.
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