Need a checkup?
Top three scariest sounds in the world:
1. Turning of the bathroom doorknob you forgot to lock
2. “We need to talk.”
3. Snap of a latex rubber glove at the doctor’s office
Thanks to Dr. Jim Davis, who said doctor checkups are not always valuable for students, many of us can now rest at ease.
“There are so many illnesses out there that could befall you, that you can realistically in no way look for all of them,” he said. “Nor can you cost effectively look for all of them. There is no end to the number of tests I could run on you and the amount of money I could spend of yours, looking for something that may or may not exist.”
Davis said the purpose of a checkup is to find illness before it shows up symptomatically. Since most young adults are healthy, Davis said the benefits of having a health checkup are low while the cost is high.
“The question is, do students have enough hidden illness that checkups are worthwhile (or) a waste of time?” he said. “If someone comes in and says, ‘I want a checkup,’ well, I’m not sure what we’re looking for. It’s like taking your car into the dealer and saying could ya look it over? Is it making noise? No. Is it running OK? Well, yeah.”
Although Davis, director of the Student Health and Wellness Center, said some checkups are often unnecessary, there are some exceptions to the rule. They include:
“Known risk factor” checkups:
A known risk factor, Davis said, may depend on family history, ethnicity or exposure to an illness that may pose a risk to someone. One example, Davis said, is being aware of a family’s history of diabetes, heart disease or breast cancer. Scheduling an annual checkup for any of these is “reasonable,” and Davis said making an appointment on behalf of such risk factors is a good idea.
Another example of a risk factor is known exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. Davis strongly recommends a checkup in this case. A known risk factor based on ethnicity, Davis said, is sickle-cell anemia, which is most often found in African Americans. Being aware of such risk factors not only helps the patient understand why something may be wrong, but Davis said it helps a doctor know what to look for.
Organizational checkups:
Being involved in an organization, such as a military or aviation program, requires students to get a checkup upon their entrance. For those serving religious missions or for students planning to study abroad, Davis said a checkup is necessary before they leave. To make sure there are no health surprises that could hinder plans, Davis said planning early is best.
Athlete checkups:
Athletes at USU are required to get a physical before initially performing their sport, Davis said. This helps the athlete and doctor better understand any potential health problems before the season starts.
Female health checkups:
Once a female is sexually active, Davis said he recommends coming in for a Pap test, which helps determine possibilities of cervical cancer. Rules have changed, however, and Davis said he now recommends women to have a Pap test three times a year instead of annually.
“The recommendations have changed,” he said. “If those three (tests) are all normal, you can go five years or even longer in between.”
Male health checkups:
Although most male cancers are usually found in a different age bracket than young adults, Davis said male patients concerned with such risk factors usually make an appointment if needed. Besides a physical, Davis said there are not a lot of specific or recommended checkups for men. Since male checkups are mostly “complaint-driven,” Davis said there is not a lot of “preventive maintenance” for men.
Diet and nutrition checkups:
Having a consultation with a dietitian is a service Davis said the Student Wellness Center offers. A dietitian cannot only help a student design an exercise program, they can also teach a student how to read package labels, Davis said.
“What is a saturated fat?” Davis said. “Do students know? It’s time to learn. What is this trans fat that’s being banned in New York? Is it important to me?
Davis said students seem to love high sodium food such as Ramen noodles or drinks with high levels of caffeine. A common mistake, Davis said, is not realizing how much sodium or caffeine is being consumed.
“(Red Bull) is very strongly pushed on campus,” he said. “But what’s the value of this? Will it really help me? And how do I read that label on the back?”
Emotional checkups:
Depression is the No. 3 diagnoses that Davis said is made at the Health Center. Psychologists are available to students through the Student Health Center, so Davis said to make an appointment if people feel they need to. Other emotional issues such as anxiety and relationship problems can also be reason for an emotional checkup, Davis said.
For more information concerning any of the listed checkups, or to make an appointment, please call the Student Health and Wellness Center at 797-1660.
-britg@cc.usu.edu