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A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Health Assessment

A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Health Assessment

Health Assessment

Health Assessments have always been important, but in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has assumed renewed significance. Health assessment often include a set of questions that a person has to answer. The objective of those questions is to know about their overall health and well-being, risks, personal behavior, health  goals and priorities, and other life-changing events.

Conducting a health assessment is often the first important step in identifying the person’s problems, their medical needs, and how the healthcare system should address them. It varies in scope and length, can be completed during or between office visits, online or offline.

The Importance of Regular Health Assessment

Various studies have suggested that death from heart diseases, stroke, Cancer, or Diabetes can be prevented by following a healthy diet, regular exercising, and quitting smoking. Every year thousands of lives, their time, and capital are claimed by diseases preventable in nature. Therefore, it is essential to undertake periodic health assessments.

In situations where there is a family history of cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes, higher BMI, etc., one must get a preventive health check-up every 6 months, recommended by a senior doctor who is well-versed with your regular check-up. Genetic analysis and Cancer screening are required in patients with a family history of the disease or those who use tobacco in any form. The human body changes every fraction of a second, and the more frequent the preventive check-up, the better is the outcome with adequate interventions.

Based on the assessment results, your medical care provider will steer you to manage your health. Taking charge of your health may include incorporating regular exercise and a healthy diet in your routine, preventive medication before the onset of any potential chronic disease, or medicine to manage any ongoing health conditions.

Components of a Health Assessment

A comprehensive health assessment includes a general survey, an analysis of medical history, and a complete physical examination, along with self-reported symptoms. This health assessment seeks to measure and provides an insight into someone’s physical and mental vitals. Health assessments are used to obtain the baseline data about patients and build a rapport with them to build a trusting relationship and ease their anxiety.

The general survey comprises minor details such as age, height, weight, hygiene, gait, build, and posture. Major details involve the extent of tobacco use, level of physical activities, stress, sexual practices, alcohol usage or addictive actions such as substance abuse or gambling, symptoms of anxiety or Depression, the presence or absence of emotional support, sedentary lifestyle, history of bullying, physical abuse or violence, and overall health and well-being.

To summarize, health assessments comprises the following components:

Who Should Take a Health Assessment

Health Assessments are carried out to obtain a general understanding of your health, including physiological, mental, psychological, and sexual well-being. It enables you to be proactive towards the state of health and prevents the onslaught of any disease. But who are these health assessments meant for? And, what should people of specific age groups get tested for?

Women of this age group must undertake breast examination, Pap Smear test for Cervical Cancer, and an HPV vaccine if not received as an adolescent. Men must opt for a testicular exam.

Different Types of Health Assessments

Depending upon the particular needs, a medical practitioner might conduct assessments for people belonging to different age groups. It can be classified in terms of the length of the evaluation.

Traditionally, these health assessments would take place at a hospital or diagnostic centers. But the current times have propelled people to carry out health assessments at home.

How to Conduct a Health Assessment at Home?

Home health assessments allow capturing social and environmental factors that may influence health but are not detected in a clinical environment. Very often, the information contained in medical records does not represent a person’s physical health, insights on their behavior, or social conditions. One way of conducting the health assessment at home is to have qualified physician assistants or nurse practitioners reach out to the person concerned and carry out a comprehensive health assessment to provide the missing clinical data. This process can drive quality and care management initiatives to ensure that their clinical risk burden is accurately captured and substantiated for the purpose of risk adjustment. Another way of conducting a health assessment at home is to do it yourself by answering online questionnaires honestly.

A health assessment is an accurate judgment of mental, physical, and quality standards of a person’s life. In a healthy at-home assessment, depending upon your age, you need to ask yourself questions about –

This will help you or your healthcare practitioner to identify the risks involved. There are 4 broad categories that a person needs to test him/herself upon:

Whether done at home or a health center, any given health assessment must include all aspects of life, such as physical, mental, social health, and lifestyle. It can help in keeping the risk factors in check and facilitate a quality life. It is an excellent way of addressing health concerns beyond the realm of your regular physician appointments. These assessments are most helpful when scheduled every six months. Stay at the pink of your health with regular health assessments.

For a health assessment, download the free Health Assessment app.

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