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Prevention Guidelines for Women, Age 50-64

Here are the screening tests and immunizations that most women age 50-64 need. Although you and your healthcare provider may decide that a different schedule is best for you, this plan can guide your discussion. Click to see prevention plans for men and women in different age groups and learn more about each screening:

Screening

Who needs it

How often

Alcohol misuse

All adults

At routine exams

Blood pressure

All adults

At least every two years

Cervical Cancer

All sexually active women, and all women age 21 and older who have a cervix

Pap smear every 1-3 years

Cholesterol

All women age 45 and older at increased risk for coronary artery disease

At least every five years

Colorectal cancer

All adults age 50 and older

Check with your healthcare provider

Depression

All adults

At routine exams

Diabetes, type 2

Adults who are overweight or have other risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or family history of diabetes

At routine exams

Gonorrhea

All sexually active women

At routine exams

HIV

Anyone at increased risk

At routine checkups

Obesity

All adults

At routine checkups

Osteoporosis

Women age 60 to 64 at increased risk

At routine exams

Syphilis

Anyone at increased risk

At routine exams

Tuberculosis

Anyone at increased risk

Check with your healthcare provider

Counseling

Who needs it

How often

Aspirin for prevention of cardiovascular events

At-risk adults

When risk is identified

Diet, behavioral counseling

Adults with hyperlipidemia and other known risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease

When diagnosed

Tobacco use

All users

Every visit

Immunization

Who needs it

How often

Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Td/Tdap) booster

All adults

Td: Every 10 years.

Tdap: Once after age 18

Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

All adults age 50 to 64 who lack prior infection or documented vaccinations

One dose

Chickenpox (varicella)

All adults age 50 to 64 who lack prior infection or documented vaccinations

Two doses over 8 weeks

Flu vaccine

All adults

Yearly during flu season

Hepatitis A vaccine

People at risk

Twice over 12-18 months.

Hepatitis B vaccine

People at risk

Three doses over six months.

Meningococcal

People at risk

One or more times.

Pneumococcal (polysaccharide)

People at risk

One or two times.

Zoster

All women age 60 and older

One dose

Guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Immunization schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Date Last Reviewed: 7/18/2007
Date Last Modified: 8/6/2009

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