
Health Checks
๐๐ผ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ?
You donโt need to wait until something goes wrong!
A quick reminder: basic medical health monitoring can prevent serious illness. But many of us have no idea what to check or when.
Hereโs a quick age-based guide for Australians (based on RACGP & Heart Foundation recommendations):
๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ต๐ถ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐. ๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐.
๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ญ๐ดโ3๐ต
โข Blood pressure: every 2 years
โข Cholesterol & diabetes risk: start earlier if you have risk factors (e.g., family history, โข Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander background)
โข Mental health & STI screening: as needed, especially for those who are LGBTQ+ or sexually active
โข HPV vaccine (if not already received)
๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฌโ4๐ต
โข Heart Health Check: from 45 (or from 30 for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander peoples)
โข Diabetes screening: every 3โ5 years
โข Cervical screening: every 5 years (25โ74, even if vaccinated)
โข Breast checks: regular clinical checks; mammograms usually start at 50 but discuss earlier if needed
โข Vaccinations: annual flu shot, COVID boosters, catch-ups
๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฌโ7๐ฐ
โข Bowel cancer test: every 2 years (free kit from age 50)
โข BreastScreen mammograms: every 2 years (50โ74)
โข Bone density scan: especially for postmenopausal women
โข Heart, diabetes, blood pressure checks: every 1โ2 years
โข Shingles vaccine: from age 65 (now free for eligible people)
๐๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ฑ+
โข Falls & mobility checks
โข Medication review
โข Cognitive screening
โข Vision/hearing checks
โข Continued heart, diabetes, cancer screening where appropriate
๐ง๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐ผ๐
โข Men: prostate screening no one-size-fits-all; talk to your GP
โข Women & people with a cervix: cervical screening every 5 years
โข Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples: earlier heart and diabetes checks; free annual health assessment
โข LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse people: speak to inclusive GPs about relevant STI checks, cervical/breast/testicular screening, and mental health support
๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต-๐จ๐ฝ๐
Keep up to date with:
โข Flu shots (annually)
โข COVID-19 boosters (especially if 65+ or with chronic illness)
โข Shingles & pneumococcal (from 65)
โข Travel vaccines if going abroad
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต๐
Tests are helpful but lifestyle change is powerful. Movement, connection, good sleep, nutritious food, and emotional wellbeing are your best health allies.