Your guide to preventative health screenings you should get in your 50s
Expert recommendations for preventative health care and screenings change as you age — and hitting your 50s is a milestone that comes with additional guidelines to help keep your health going strong.
CBS News HealthWatch has compiled a series of guides to help you know which preventative screenings should be on your list in every age group.
Even if you feel set in your ways by your 50s, there are things you can do to change your health trajectory.
"It's never too late," says Dr. Céline Gounder, a CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health. "If you're still a smoker, quit smoking. If you don't exercise at all, even just walking a little bit every day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator — very small things can really make a big difference for your health."
So what should 50-somethings have on their preventative checklist? Here is a look at the guidelines experts recommend for people at average risk:
Vaccines to get in your 50s
People age 50 or older are urged to get vaccinated against shingles, the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends. "Shingles causes a painful rash that can last for months," the office warns — and the risk increases as you age.
You should also make sure you're up-to-date on other vaccines, including the Td or Tdap booster shot, which protects against tetanus and diphtheria, and the COVID-19 vaccine and annual flu shot,
Dr. Robert M. Biernbaum, chief medical officer for WellNow Urgent Care, says the flu vaccine isn't something people think about as a preventative measure but is a top recommendation. "Flu vaccine is recommended from the ages of 6 months to 80-plus years," he says.
New screenings to consider in your 50s
Lung cancer screening — The latest lung cancer screening guidelines from the American Cancer Society recommends yearly lung cancer screenings for people aged 50 to 80 years old who smoke or formerly smoked and have a 20-year or greater pack-year history. (Pack-years is the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per day multiplied by the number of years smoked, the organization explains.)
Prostate cancer screening — Starting at age 50, men should consider prostate cancer screenings, Biernbaum says, which includes a physical exam and a prostate-specific antigen blood test, or PSA. According to recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, or USPSTF, an independent panel of national experts, screenings should be up to the individual beginning at age 55, pointing to the risk of false positives. How often screenings are done after that is based on risk factors, Biernbaum adds.
Continued screenings and tests in your 50s
In addition to the new recommendations for this age group, it's also important to keep up with recurring tests and screenings you began previously, including:
- Dermatological exams to check for skin cancer
- Comprehensive eye and vision exams
- Cholesterol, blood pressure and other heart health checks
- Diabetes screening
- Mental health check-ins
- Screenings for intimate partner violence, unhealthy alcohol and drug use as well as tobacco use, as recommended by the USPSTF
- Oral exams and dental cleanings
- Colorectal cancer screenings
- HIV and other STI tests, depending on risk level, including screening for hepatitis B and C and whether someone is at risk for HIV and should be on the HIV-prevention drug PrEP.
- Cervical cancer screenings and pelvic exams for women
- Mammograms for women
- Testicular exams for men
This guide is based on guidelines from health organizations and experts for people at average risk. Age and frequency of screenings may differ for individuals based on family history and personal risk factors. This does not take the place of your personal doctor's recommendations for your health.
