Screening guidelines are written for clinicians, which is why they are almost impossible to read if you are not one. This guide translates the main ones into what you might actually be due for, organized by decade.
One important caveat before the lists: age is only one input. Your family history, your personal history, your risk factors, and what you tell your provider all change the answer. Use this to prepare for a conversation, not to replace one.
The ones that apply at almost every adult age
These are not decade-specific. They start in early adulthood and continue, based on the USPSTF A and B recommendations.
- Blood pressure. All adults 18 and older. High blood pressure has no symptoms until it has already done damage.
- Depression. Recommended for the adult population, including during and after pregnancy and in older adults.
- Anxiety disorders. Recommended for adults 64 and younger, including pregnant and postpartum people.
- Unhealthy alcohol use. Adults 18 and older, with brief counseling when screening is positive.
- Unhealthy drug use. Adults 18 and older, by asking questions rather than testing.
- Tobacco. Clinicians should ask all adults, advise quitting, and offer behavioral support and FDA-approved medication.
- HIV. At least once for everyone aged 15 to 65, and more often for people at increased risk. We offer confidential HIV and STD testing at all seven clinics.
- Hepatitis C. Once for adults aged 18 to 79.
- Weight and metabolic health. Adults with a BMI of 30 or higher should be offered intensive behavioral support.
Age group
Ages 18 to 29
The decade people most often skip entirely. Most of what matters here is establishing baselines and covering sexual and mental health.
- Blood pressure, every visit
- HIV testing at least once
- Hepatitis C testing once, starting at 18
- Cervical cancer screening starting at 21, with cytology every three years through age 29
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for all sexually active women 24 and younger
- Depression, anxiety, alcohol, drug, and tobacco screening
- Behavioral counseling on sexually transmitted infections for sexually active adolescents and adults at increased risk
- Vaccines: HPV routinely through age 26, plus catch-up on Tdap, MMR, chickenpox, hepatitis B, flu, and COVID-19
If you are at increased risk of HIV, this is also the decade to ask about PrEP. The USPSTF gives PrEP a grade A recommendation for people at increased risk.
Age group
Ages 30 to 39
- Everything from the previous decade continues
- Cervical cancer screening shifts at 30. Options include cytology every three years, high-risk HPV testing every five years, or co-testing every five years
- Diabetes and prediabetes screening starting at 35 for adults with overweight or obesity
- Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening continues for women 25 and older who are at increased risk
- Cholesterol and cardiovascular risk assessment, based on your risk factors
- Syphilis screening for anyone at increased risk
This is also the decade where family history starts to matter more. If a parent or sibling was diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, or cancer young, tell your provider. Some screenings start earlier when family history warrants it.
Age group
Ages 40 to 49
- Breast cancer screening. Mammography every two years starting at 40, through age 74
- Colorectal cancer screening starting at 45, through age 75
- Statin discussion for adults 40 to 75 with at least one cardiovascular risk factor and a 10-year risk of a cardiovascular event of 10 percent or greater
- Diabetes screening continues for adults with overweight or obesity
- Blood pressure, mental health, alcohol, drug, and tobacco screening continue
- Vaccines: shingles at 50 is coming, so ask about timing
Age group
Ages 50 to 64
- Colorectal cancer screening continues, with a grade A recommendation from 50 to 75
- Lung cancer screening. Annual low-dose CT for adults 50 to 80 with a 20 pack-year smoking history who currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years
- Breast cancer screening every two years continues
- Cervical cancer screening continues through 65
- Osteoporosis screening for postmenopausal women younger than 65 with risk factors
- Vaccines: shingles starting at 50, pneumococcal for adults 50 and older, RSV for some adults 50 to 74, plus the annual flu and current COVID-19 vaccines
Age group
Ages 65 and older
- Osteoporosis screening for all women 65 and older
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening. One ultrasound for men aged 65 to 75 who have ever smoked
- Falls prevention. Exercise interventions for adults 65 and older at increased risk of falling
- Colorectal cancer screening continues to 75, then becomes an individual decision to 85
- Breast cancer screening continues through 74
- Depression screening, specifically including older adults
- Vaccines: RSV for adults 75 and older, at least two doses of the current COVID-19 vaccine, annual flu, shingles, and pneumococcal
What changes the timing
Every list above assumes average risk. Several things move the start date earlier or the interval shorter. Tell your provider about all of them.
Family history
A parent or sibling diagnosed young with colorectal cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, or diabetes often means starting screening earlier than the standard age.
Personal history
A previous abnormal result, a prior cancer, or a chronic condition changes both what is screened and how often.
Smoking, current or past
It affects lung cancer screening eligibility and abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, and it raises cardiovascular risk generally.
Pregnancy
Adds its own set of recommended screenings, including hepatitis B, syphilis, HIV, gestational diabetes, and blood pressure monitoring throughout.
Sexual history
Affects how often you should be screened for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and whether PrEP is worth discussing.
Occupation and living situation
Some exposures raise the risk of latent tuberculosis, which the USPSTF recommends screening for in populations at increased risk.
What this guide does not cover
A few things fall outside the USPSTF list but still belong on your yearly radar: dental care, vision checks, hearing, and skin checks. None of them are covered here, and all of them are easier to deal with early. Ask your primary care provider where to go for each in your area.
A quick reference table
A few Florida-specific notes
Two things are worth flagging for Floridians in particular.
Sexual health screening matters more here
Florida has consistently reported high numbers of new HIV diagnoses, and the Florida Department of Health HIV and AIDS section tracks state surveillance data. Regular HIV and STD testing is not an add-on here. If you are unsure about timing after a possible exposure, our HIV testing window period guide explains it.
Sun exposure
The USPSTF recommends counseling on minimizing ultraviolet exposure for people aged 6 months to 24 years with fair skin. Living in Florida does not change the recommendation, but it does raise the stakes. Mention any changing mole at your annual visit.
What all of this costs
Most health plans must cover grade A and B preventive services with no cost sharing, as HealthCare.gov explains, which covers the majority of this list. Without insurance, community health centers use income-based sliding fee scales and clinics like DUG do not require insurance at all. Our guide to affordable primary care in Florida walks through every option.
Screenings that require imaging, such as mammography, colonoscopy, or low-dose CT, are usually done outside a primary care clinic. Ask your provider about referral options and costs before you schedule.
What happens if a screening comes back abnormal
Worth saying plainly, because fear of the result is a real reason people skip screening. An abnormal screening result is not a diagnosis. Screening tests are designed to be sensitive, which means they flag more people than actually have the condition. The next step is usually a repeat test or a more specific one.
Most of the conditions on this list are far easier to treat when they are found early, and several of them have no symptoms until they are advanced. High blood pressure, prediabetes, cervical changes, and early colorectal cancer all fall into that category.
How to use this at your next visit
Print the table above or bring it up on your phone. Ask your provider one question: based on my age, sex, and history, which of these am I due for right now? Then book what comes back.
Our annual wellness exam checklist covers what else to bring to that visit.
Where to get screened
DUG Health provides preventive screenings, lab work, and vaccines at seven Florida clinics, plus telehealth follow-ups statewide:
Miami
6209 NW 18th Ave
Miami, FL 33147
Hialeah
2150 W 76th Street, Suite 100
Hialeah, FL 33016
Miami Springs
5245 NW 36th Street, STE 5257
Miami Springs, FL 33166
Dania Beach
323 S Federal Hwy, Suite 329
Dania Beach, FL 33004
Orlando
3300 W Colonial Dr, Suite 143
Orlando, FL 32808
Tallahassee
2650 Municipal Way
Tallahassee, FL 32304
Milton
6044 Doctors Park
Milton, FL 32570
Find the clinic nearest you or see all of our services.
Frequently asked questions
At 40, mammography every two years begins for women, a statin discussion is appropriate if you have a cardiovascular risk factor, and blood pressure, mental health, and substance use screening continue. Diabetes screening applies if you have overweight or obesity. Colorectal cancer screening begins at 45.
Colorectal cancer screening carries a grade A recommendation from 50 to 75. Lung cancer screening starts at 50 for people with a 20 pack-year smoking history. Shingles vaccination begins at 50, and pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adults 50 and older.
Age is the starting point, not the whole answer. Family history, personal history, and risk factors change what is recommended and when. Bring this guide to a primary care visit and ask.
Most health plans must cover USPSTF grade A and B services without cost sharing. Without insurance, sliding-scale health centers and clinics like DUG make screening affordable. Costs for imaging done off site are usually separate.
The USPSTF recommends screening at least once for everyone aged 15 to 65. People at increased risk should be tested more often. DUG offers confidential HIV and STD testing at every clinic, with same-day results for many tests.
Some overlap and some differ. Cervical and breast cancer screening apply to women. Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening applies to men 65 to 75 who ever smoked. See our Women’s Healthcare and Men’s Healthcare pages.
Find out what you are due for
Bring this guide to a visit at any of our seven Florida clinics. No insurance required, and screenings, labs, and vaccines can happen in the same appointment.
Medical disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a licensed clinician for personal health concerns.
References
External links are limited to government health sources and open in a new tab.
- A and B Recommendations. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
- Preventive Care Benefits for Adults. HealthCare.gov, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- Recommended Vaccinations for Adults. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- HIV and AIDS Section. Florida Department of Health.