The Costco Connection

Women 60 and older should know their numbers for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index. Risk calculators like those available from the American Heart Association ( heart.org) can help women and their doctors decide if taking aspirin or a statin is appropriate.

Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in the United States. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF;

uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org) recommends cervical cancer screening in women age 21 to 65, with cytology (Pap test) every three years or, for women age 30 to 65, screening with a combination of cytology and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing every five years.

The Pap test checks for abnormal cell changes of the cervix before they have a chance to develop into cancer. The HPV vaccine is recommended for young women through the age of 26. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that affects almost 80 million people— or nearly one in four—in the United States. The vaccine helps protect against cervical cancer as well as head, neck and oral cancers caused by HPV.

Women age 40 to 59 should be thinking about breast and colon cancer screening. The USPSTF recommends a screening mammogra-phy every two years for women age 50 to 74, and colorectal cancer screening starting at age

50 and continuing until age 75.

“Based on your family history, health
concerns and other risk factors, you may start
screening for cancer earlier,” says Lisa Kennedy
Sheldon, chief clinical officer for the Oncology
Nursing Society and an oncology nurse practi-
tioner. “Talk to your doctor about the best cancer
screening plan for your situation.”
Women 60 and older who are current or
past smokers should consider lung cancer
screening. The USPSTF recommends annual
screening for lung cancer with low-dose com-
puted tomography in adults age 55 to 80 years
who have a 30-packs-a-year smoking history
and who currently smoke or have quit within
the past 15 years.

Finally, women should pay attention to their skin. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun and skin damage from indoor tanning. All women should wear sunscreen, avoid tanning booths and consider getting a full-body skin check with a dermatologist.

Mental health

Some mental disorders affect more women than men. For example, women have higher rates of anxiety and depression. Generalized anxiety disorder is a chronic condition in which a person has exaggerated worry about routine life events and activities that lasts for at least six months.

Certain types of depression are unique to women, like postpartum depression, sometimes called the “baby blues,” after childbirth, and perimenopause-related depression. This occurs when women start to experience skipped and irregular periods before menopause.

Mental health screening tools can help women know if they are at risk for depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Women can also talk to their doctor about ways to manage mental health disorders, such as taking medication, seeing a mental health professional or joining a support group.

Physical health and mental health are connected. Taking care of your mental health can help you feel better physically, and taking care of your body is good for your mental health.