Preventive activities over the lifecycle – Adults Screening Case-finding

Activity/topic Age group Frequency Notes

15– 20– 25– 30– 35– 40– 45– 50– 55– 60– 65– 70– 75–
≥80
19 24 29 34 39 44 49 54 59 64 69 74 79
Cancer
Breast Screening: Every two years Screening: Women at average risk or slightly higher than average risk of breast cancer should participate in mammographic screening from
Case-finding: At least every two years ages 50 to 74 years as part of the national BreastScreen program.
Case-finding: Undertake mammographic screening from ages 40 to 74 years for women at moderately increased risk.

Cervical Every five years Women and people with a cervix who are aged between 25-74 years, have ever had sexual contact and who are eligible for screening should
have an HPV screening test for cervical cancer. This can be on a self-collected vaginal sample or on a clinician-collected sample.

Colorectal Every two years Immunochemical faecal occult blood testing (iFOBT) every two years is recommended starting at age 45 years and continuing to
age 74 years for those at average risk of colorectal cancer.

Prostate See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Skin See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Cardiovascular
Atrial fibrillation (AF) Opportunistically Opportunistic clinical palpation or auscultation to detect asymptomatic AF in people aged 65 years or more.

Cardiovascular disease risk Blood pressure (BP) (18+ years) opportunstically, See chapter for individual recommendations.
no more than every two years.
BP only BP only BP only BP only BP only BP only
CVD risk (age 45 - 79) every five years unless
risk factors worsen.

Infectious diseases
Immunisation Immunisation is recommended at particular ages throughout life, according to the Australian Immunisation Handbook. See chapter for frequency See chapter and Australian Immunisation Handbook schedule for recommendations.

Sexually transmitted disease Opportunistically if indicated Screening for chlamydia and gonorrhoea is recommended in all sexually active women 24 years or younger but only in those who are at
(evidence is unclear on testing interval). increased risk (see Box 1) in women 25 years or older.

Injury prevention
Bullying and child abuse Opportunistically See chapter for individual recommendations.

Mental health
Alcohol Every two years Screen adults aged ≥18 years, including pregnant women, for unhealthy alcohol use. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification
Test – Consumption (AUDIT-C) tool can be used to assess this. Provide persons engaged in risky or hazardous drinking with
brief behavioural counselling interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use.

Anxiety As required See chapter for individual recommendations.

Dementia Opportunistically See chapter for individual recommendations.

Depression See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Gambling Opportunistically In patients experiencing stress, mental health issues or substance use problems; in people experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence;
in people experiencing relationship breakdown; and/or in people with symptoms of compulsive gambling (see Box 1), ask about gambling
behaviours (eg sports betting, wagering, card playing, pokies, casino gambling, online gambling). For example, ‘In the past 12 months,
have you or someone you are close to ever had issues with gambling?’

Smoking and nicotine vaping At every opportunity starting from the age of Ask patients whether they are currently smoking and document their smoking status.
10 years Also ask about and document the use of vaping products.

Metabolic
Diabetes Determined by individual risk. General population of average risk (for screening of high-risk and highest-risk populations, see Diabetes chapter).
See chapter for recommendations.

Overweight and obesity Opportunistically Assess height, weight and calculate BMI with caution in adults without a known eating disorder and who are not pregnant.

Physical activity Every two years Ask questions about frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

Musculoskeletal disorders
Osteoporosis Do not routinely repeat BMD + FRAX® within two Use FRAX® to calculate absolute fracture risk in people aged ≥50 years with lifestyle and non-modifiable risk factors (eg parent with hip
years except in special circumstances. fracture). When the FRAX® risk for major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) is ≥10%, refer for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). If the risk for
MOF is <10%, DXA is not recommended.
Refer for BMD assessment by DXA for people aged ≥50 years with diseases/chronic conditions/medications associated with increased
fracture risk.
Restratify risk with FRAX® after DXA using BMD reading and treat when: the BMD T-score is ≤–2.5, or when the BMD T-score is between
–1.5 and –2.5 and the FRAX® risk for MOF is ≥20% and/or the hip fracture risk is ≥3%.

Metabolic
Preconception See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Pregnancy - First antenatal visit See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Pregnancy - During pregnancy See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Interconception See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Perinatal mental health See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Miscellaneous
Frailty Every 12 months (screening). Consider screening as part of an assessment of elderly patients.
Every one - three years (case finding). Case find as an assessment of patients (age 65-74) with risk factors.
Preventive activities over the lifecycle – Children Screening Case-finding

Activity/topic Age group Frequency Notes

Neonatal 2, 4, 6 & 12 months 18 months & 3 years 3.5–5 years 6–13 years 14–19 years
Development and behaviour
Developmental delay and autism Opportunistically See chapter for individual recommendations.

Preventive activities in childhood Neonatally See chapter for individual recommendations.

Infectious diseases
Immunisation Immunisation is recommended from birth for all children, and at particular ages throughout life, according to the Australian Immunisation Handbook. See chapter for frequency See chapter and Australian Immunisation Handbook schedule for recommendations.

Sexually transmissible infections Opportunistically if indicated Screening for chlamydia and gonorrhoea is recommended in all sexually active women 24 years or younger.
(evidence is unclear on
testing interval)

Injury prevention
Bullying and child abuse Opportunistically See chapter for individual recommendations.

Mental health
Alcohol Every two years Screen adults aged ≥18 years, including pregnant women, for unhealthy alcohol use. The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification
Test – Consumption (AUDIT-C) tool can be used to assess this. Provide persons engaged in risky or hazardous drinking with brief
behavioural counselling interventions to reduce unhealthy alcohol use.

Anxiety As required See chapter for individual recommendations.

Depression See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Gambling Opportunistically In patients experiencing stress, mental health issues or substance use problems; in people experiencing or perpetrating domestic
violence; in people experiencing relationship breakdown; and/or in people with symptoms of compulsive gambling (see Box 1), ask
about gambling behaviours (eg sports betting, wagering, card playing, pokies, casino gambling, online gambling). For example, ‘In the
past 12 months, have you or someone you are close to ever had issues with gambling?’

Smoking and nicotine vaping At every opportunity starting Ask patients whether they are currently smoking and document their smoking status.
from the age of 10 years Also ask about and document the use of vaping products.

Metabolic
Overweight and obesity Opportunistically Assess height, weight and calculate BMI using age-appropriate charts in children and adolescents aged ≥6 years without a known
eating disorder and who are not pregnant.

Physical activity Every two years Ask questions about the frequency (in each week), duration and intensity of physical activity and muscle strengthening activities.

Musculoskeletal disorders
Developmental dysplasia of the hip At newborn and See chapter for individual recommendations.
postnatal checks

Reproductive & women's health

Pregnancy - First antenatal visit See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Pregnancy - During pregnancy See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Interconception See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Perinatal mental health See chapter for frequency See chapter for individual recommendations.

Miscellaneous
Vision Once, between the Vision screening in children to detect amblyopia, or its risk factors.
ages of three - five years