Why certain health screenings may be unnecessary later in life

(STUDY FINDS) -- It seems intuitive. Older people need more medical surveillance for common diseases, as well as immunizations and other preventive measures. Well, intuition isn’t always reliable. Some common medical tests are not recommended after a certain age or when there are no symptoms. Some may even be harmful.

After age 65, office visits with your physician may be recommended more frequently. These visits are for chronic disease or surveillance. Some routine screenings and treatments may not be necessary, such as prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing, urinary tract infections (UTIs) testing, and diabetes testing.

What happens with too much screening and treatment? It can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. For example, screening for a UTI may be unnecessary and potentially harmful. Many older women virtually always have bacteria in their bladders, but they aren’t causing active infections, and there may be no symptoms. A positive test result after screening can lead to unnecessary antibiotic treatment. There is the potential for drug side-effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, or dizziness. It can also lead to antibiotic resistance, a major public health problem. Antibiotics can be expensive, too.

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