Are you prioritising your health or only seeking medical attention when you feel unwell?
Regular health screenings are a proactive approach to healthcare, offering numerous benefits that can lead to a longer, healthier life.
As part of your medical aid membership, you’re entitled to a complimentary wellness screening. These screenings help detect potential health issues early, often before symptoms even appear, allowing for timely intervention and better outcomes.
Generally, basic health screening tests can detect some of the following conditions:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Cancers
- Chronic respiratory diseases
- Diabetes
Get the family involved
There are specific identified screening tests for children, adults and seniors.Consult your healthcare practitioner to identify the health screening tests aligned with your age, as well as the recommended frequency of testing.
How to best access these health screening tests
- Some medical aid schemes partner with network pharmacies nationwide.
- Others specifically set up medical aid scheme testing sites.
- Our wellness days include screening tests. So, be on the lookout for wellness days in your respective offices or visit the on-site wellness clinic.
Non-communicable disease statistics
Chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, and cancer) account for an estimated 75% of healthcare costs, but 80% of these diseases are preventable through lifestyle changes.
Preventable Deaths and Improved Life Expectancy
- Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable deaths, contributing to 8 million deaths per year worldwide (WHO). Quitting smoking reduces the risk of lung cancer by 50% after 10 years.
- Obesity-related diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease) lead to 4.7 million deaths per year. Maintaining a healthy weight could prevent up to 80% of Type 2 diabetes cases.
- Vaccinations prevent 4–5 million deaths per year, reducing the burden of diseases like measles, influenza, and pneumonia.
Impact of Early Detection and Screening
- Cancer screenings improve survival rates significantly. For example, regular mammograms can reduce breast cancer mortality by 40%.
- Colon cancer screenings can lower the death rate by 50% when detected early.
- Routine health checkups can reduce hospitalization rates and emergency visits by up to 40%.
In summary, health screening tests are vital for maintaining overall well-being by enabling early detection of diseases, assessing risks, improving health outcomes, reducing costs, and providing peace of mind.
Health-Connect 2/2025
Information obtained from: World Health Organisation, Global Burden of Disease Study
Click here to read our previous issue on the benefits and value of taking out gap cover.