The purpose of this study was to examine the receipt of clinical preventive services (CPS) among U.S. adults > 50 years
Data were obtained from the 1997 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), an ongoing telephone survey of adults conducted by the 50. We calculated the percentage of adults in four age/sex groups who were up to date on several commonly recommended CPS such as colorectal cancer screening (sigmoidoscopy past five years, blood stool test past year), cholesterol screening (past five years), mammography (past two years), Pap smear test (past three years), influenza vaccination (within past year, > 65 years), and pneumococcal vaccination (ever, > 65 years). Estimates for each state are presented.
We found that a small percent of adults 50 years and older have had all of the recommended CPS. For example, among men aged 50-64, state percentages ranged from 1.5% to 13.0% for having had cholesterol screening and colorectal cancer screening. State percentages for women aged 50-64 years ranged from 0.9% to 11.0% (5 screening procedures). State percentages for men aged > 65 years ranged from 1.4% to 13.9% (5 procedures). State percentages for women aged > 65 years ranged from 0.8% to 9.9% (7 procedures).
CPS are underutilized by adults 50 and older. These services can help prevent or detect early such life threatening diseases as heart disease, cancer, pneumonia and influenza. The public health community and health care providers need to work toward increasing the proportion of adults who are up-to-date on these life saving tests.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant should be able to: 1.) Describe the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and recognize the utility of the system for assessing health risk behaviors. 2.) Identify the prevalence of receipt of clinical preventive services among U.S. adults 50 years and older. 3.) Recognize that clinical preventive services are underutilized by adults 50 years and older
Keywords: Elderly, Clinical Prevention Services
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.