Dr. ‘Femi Oyedeji (FMCPath) THE BENEFITS OF HEALTH CHECKS

Introduction What is health? Determinants of health What is health check? – Types, when?, where?, how? Why? – Benefits

What is Health? Level of functional and (or) metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person in mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain. The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

What is Health? The maintenance and promotion of health is achieved through different combination of physical, mental, and social well-being, together sometimes referred to as the “health triangle. Health is wealth as is always said. In my opinion, Health is the most important thing in our lives.

Determinants of Health The context in which an individual lives is of great importance on health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society.

Determinants of Health An increasing number of studies and reports from different organizations and contexts examine the linkages between health and different factors The three major determinants found in most of these studies are: 1. Lifestyle: the aggregation of personal decisions (i.e. over which the individual has control) that can be said to contribute to, or cause, illness or death

Determinants of Health 2. Environmental: all matters related to health external to the human body, and over which the individual has little or no control 3. Biomedical: all aspects of health, physical and mental, developed within the human body as influenced by genetic make-up.

Determinants of Health Key factors that have been found to influence whether people are healthy or unhealthy include: Income and social status Social support networks Education and literacy Employment/working conditions Social environments

Determinants of Health Physical environments Personal health practices and coping skills Healthy child development Biology and genetics Health care services Gender Culture

A medical examination usually carried out by a doctor with an aim of determining the health state of an individual and if necessary institute measures to ensure maintenance of a healthy state. It generally involves a medical history, a (brief or complete) physical examination and sometimes laboratory tests. Types, When? Where?, How? Why? = Benefits! What is Health check?

Types There can be great variation in how detailed a health check is depending on its purpose. A health check may be brief, but a complete health check involves evaluating everything from the patient's appearance to specific organ systems

Types Type carried out usually depends on several factors which include: 1. Age 2. Sex 3. Medical history 4. Family history 5. Physical examination findings 6. Available resources

When? Health checks should not be reserved for when you are feeling unwell - they are a great way of ensuring your general health is maintained. Most health screening begins in middle age, unless the individual is extremely high-risk. Health screening continues for the patient's whole life to assure that the disease they are at risk for does not occur.

When? Additional risk factors for a disease may warrant earlier testing also. For example an individual at high risk for heart attacks may undergo testing much earlier if they are also obese. Most health checks are done annually. However if there are risk factors found or where they initially exist, health checks may be scheduled for a shorter time frame.

Where? Reputable hospitals and clinics Reputable diagnostic centers

How? During a health check, the doctor will first record your medical history. He may make notes on your general appearance and then measure your height and weight. Inspection Palpation Percussion Auscultation

How? Skin Examination Head and Neck Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) Heart Function Lung Function Abdominal Area Sexual Organs Nervous System Eye Examination

How? After history taking and physical examination, Laboratory tests will be requested for which should include: Full blood count Glucose levels Thyroid function tests Blood electrolyte, urea and creatinine Liver enzymes

How? Lipids /Cholesterol levels Urinalysis Stool for occult blood Special tests: PSA, Cancer markers, Pap Smears Others: ECG, Mammography, X-ray and scans

Why? = Benefits TO THE INDIVIDUAL - YOU: Many serious diseases that humans are prone to don't cause any symptoms until the late stages of the disease – and in many instances, people unaware that they have a disease. The possible advantages include: Detection and subsequent prevention or early treatment for conditions such as high blood pressure, alcohol abuse, smoking, unhealthy diet, obesity and various cancers.

Why? = Benefits Improve the patient-physician relationship and decrease patient anxiety. Preventive care experts say that with the periodic examination they not only can detect disease early but also sometimes stop it before it starts. Gives total peace of mind having had a snapshot of your health status.

Why? = Benefits Detect diseases at the early stages when no symptoms are observed. Prevent disease through treatment and behavior modification and promote public health. The reality is that behavior and habits are far more predictive of disease risk and talking with your doctor is the best way to share that information. (Exercise and eating healthy not enough)

Why? = Benefits TO EMPLOYERS OF LABOUR AND SOCIETY: According to John Bates of Wellness Proposals, they give an employer information about the extent of illnesses, helping promote initiatives that will benefit the success of the staff and the business. Promoting health in the work-place offers dual benefits: the organization benefits in terms of productivity and increased moral, and the employee benefits by maintaining their physical and mental health.

Why? = Benefits TO MEDICAL EDUCATION: Contribute to medical education by helping to grasp the risk factors of major diseases by examining persons showing no symptoms. No matter what type of disease doctors discover in a health screening, an early diagnosis and treatment leads to a better prognosis.

Parting pieces Your health is your most important possession. Guard it with your life. The annual check-up should be given its own dedicated time. A balanced diet, regular moderate to vigorous exercise and early detection of potential health problems by annual checkups are the recipe to good family health.

Parting pieces There's just no substitute for patients and doctors seeing each other face-to-face periodically, especially when no specific health problem is bringing them together. This is how a doctor and patient establish the kind of trust and rapport that is critical to a successful health care relationship. It’s barely an effort to devote a day in an entire year for your well being!

THANK YOU