U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Preventive care, combined with a healthy lifestyle, can substantially reduce the risk of disease, disability, and death, so it’s critical we have the best research about how to stay healthy. In this year’s Report to Congress, the #USPSTF calls attention to the research gaps related to improving health outcomes across a person’s lifespan, especially in underserved or high-risk groups. We hope this call for more research leads to new evidence that can support the communities most affected by disease, help reduce disparities, and ensure that people get the preventive care they need. Check out the report here:?https://lnkd.in/eqvv5kV3

If a person has syphilis while they are pregnant, it can get passed to their baby, which is known as congenital syphilis. When left untreated, congenital syphilis can cause serious complications for the baby, including premature birth, loss of vision or hearing, and death. Fortunately, screening early during pregnancy can effectively identify syphilis so it can be treated before the baby develops it, improving the health of both the pregnant person and their baby. To learn more about #USPSTF's recent draft recommendation on screening for syphilis in pregnant people, click here:?https://lnkd.in/ex-ZAs-p

People of all genders deserve quality care that is based on what the #evidence shows has been proven to help them live longer, healthier lives. To help everyone get the care they deserve, healthcare professionals should get to know each of their patient’s specific health needs and preferences and then apply the appropriate #USPSTF recommendations. As we honor #TransgenderAwarenessWeek, we must continue to address the health disparities that gender-diverse communities often face and help all trans people receive the preventive care that is right for them.

It is Lung Cancer Awareness Month—a time to spread the word about the impact of this devastating disease and how to help people stay healthy. One of the best ways to prevent lung cancer is to not smoke or to quit if you do, so it is important that healthcare professionals use proven methods to help their patients quit. Clinicians can also save lives from lung cancer by screening people who are between the ages of 50 and 80 and at high risk based on their smoking history. Learn more about the #USPSTF's recommendations to help people improve their lung health and live longer, healthier lives here:?https://lnkd.in/eYgiC5qj #LungCancerAwarenessMonth

Improving #health equity for tribal communities is vital to ensuring that everyone can access the preventive services that are right for them. In its recommendations, the #USPSTF acknowledges the long-standing health disparities and inequities that Native American populations experience and, where necessary, calls for more research to address these important issues. This #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth, learn more about the recommended care that can help improve the health of people nationwide:?https://lnkd.in/eDzFdgXe

Diabetes is very common and can cause serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and limb amputation. Fortunately, screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in people 35 to 70 years old who have overweight or obesity can help keep the condition from getting worse and leading to other health problems. This #NationalDiabetesMonth, learn more about the #USPSTF's recommendation and do your part to help prevent or delay diabetes complications: https://lnkd.in/dvKcCRbR #DiabetesAwareness

Intimate partner violence, also known as domestic violence, affects millions of people in the U.S. and can have devastating consequences to the health and well-being of people experiencing it. As we recognize #DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth, it’s important that clinicians know they can make a difference by screening all pregnant and postpartum people and all women of reproductive age for intimate partner violence, and then connecting those who need it to support. The #USPSTF also examined the issue of caregiver abuse in older or vulnerable adults, but unfortunately found that there is not enough current evidence on the use of related screening tools in primary care, so we’re urgently calling for more #research. Learn more about our latest recommendation here:?https://lnkd.in/ezPq277x

Breastfeeding can improve the health of babies, including reducing their risk of infections, and may have health benefits for nursing mothers too. To support those who choose to, and are able to, breastfeed, the #USPSTF continues to recommend that healthcare professionals provide people who are pregnant or have recently given birth with interventions that support breastfeeding. Learn more about these proven interventions, including education and support from both clinicians and peers, in the Task Force’s draft recommendation:?https://lnkd.in/eBziiyeG

For 40 years, the #USPSTF has been dedicated to improving the health of people nationwide. Our evidence-based recommendations help to inform clinicians, healthcare professionals, patients, families, and communities about what works and what doesn’t in #preventivecare. Join us as we celebrate 40 years of preventive guidance—check out the Task Force’s important work throughout the decades here: https://lnkd.in/eEnDesXA ???

Mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, affect the lives of many people across the country. Fortunately, preventive screenings can help identify these conditions early so people can get the care they need. This Mental Illness Awareness Week, learn more about the #USPSTF's recommendations to help improve the mental well-being of those you care for here: https://lnkd.in/e4SKBBsR #MentalIllnessAwarenessWeek #MentalHealth