Screening tests and vaccines are an important part of managing your health. A screening test is done to find diseases in people who don’t have any symptoms. The goal is to find a disease early so lifestyle changes and checkups can reduce the risk of disease. Or the goal may be to find it early to treat it most effectively. Screening tests are not used to diagnose a disease. But they are used to see if more testing is needed. Health counseling is important, too. Below are guidelines for these, for men ages 18 to 39. Talk with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re up to date on what you need.
| Screening | Who needs it | How often |
| Alcohol misuse | All adults | At routine exams |
| Blood pressure | All adults | Yearly checkup if your blood pressure is normal*Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mm Hg*If your blood pressure is higher than normal, follow the advice of your healthcare provider |
| Depression | All adults who have access to healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up | At routine exams |
| Diabetes mellitus, type 2 | Adults who have no symptoms and are overweight or obese and have 1 or more extra risk factors for diabetes (such as having a close family member with diabetes) | At least every 3 years (yearly if blood sugar has started to rise) |
| Hepatitis C | If at increased risk | At routine exams |
| HIV | All men | At routine exams |
| High cholesterol and triglycerides | All men ages 35 and older, and younger men at high risk for coronary artery disease | At least every 5 years |
| Obesity | All adults | At routine exams |
| Syphilis | Anyone at increased risk for infection | At routine exams |
| Chlamydia | Anyone at increased risk for infection | At routine exams |
| Gonorrhea | Anyone at increased risk for infection | At routine exams |
| Tuberculosis | Anyone at increased risk for infection | Check with your healthcare provider |
| Vision | All men in this age group1 | Every 5 to 10 years if no risk factors for eye disease |
| Counseling | Who needs it | How often |
| Diet and exercise | Adults who are overweight or obese | When diagnosed and at routine exams |
| Sexually transmitted infection prevention | Men who are sexually active | At routine visits |
| Skin cancer | Prevention of skin cancer in fair-skinned adults through age 24 | At routine visits |
| Tobacco use and tobacco-related disease | All adults | Every exam |
| Immunizations*** | Who needs | How often |
| Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster | All adults | Td: every 10 yearsTdap: Have a 1-time dose of Tdap instead of a Td booster after age 18, then boost with Td every 10 years. |
| Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) | All adults in this age group who have no record of previous infection or vaccines** | 1 or 2 doses |
| Chickenpox (varicella) | All adults in this age group who have no record of this infection or vaccine** | 2 doses. The second dose should be given 4 to 8 weeks after the first dose. |
| Flu (seasonal) | All adults | Yearly, when the vaccine is available |
| Hepatitis A | People at risk2 | 2 doses given at least 6 months apart |
| Hepatitis B | People at risk3 | 3 doses over 6 months. The second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose. The third dose should be given at least 2 months after the second dose (and at least 4 months after the first dose). |
| Haemophilus influenzae Type B (HIB) | People at risk | 1 to 3 doses |
| Human papillomavirus (HPV) | All men in this age group up to age 26 | 2-3 doses (depending on the age at which the vaccine series began). If 3 doses are advised, the second dose should be given at least 1 month after the first dose and the third dose should be given at least 5 months after the first dose. |
| Meningococcal | People at risk4 | 1 or more doses |
| Pneumococcal (PCV13) and pneumococcal (PPSV23) | People at risk5 | PCV13: 1 dose ages 19 to 65 (protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria)PPSV23: 1 to 3 doses depending on medical situation (protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria)The type of vaccine used and the number of doses depends on age and medical situation. Talk with your healthcare provider about when and which type of vaccine is best for you. |