Preventive Care

Preventive care includes health care like screenings, checkups, and vaccines. These services can find health problems before you have symptoms — or even stop problems from developing altogether.

Why get preventive care?

It can save your life. Screening tests and checkups can find problems early — so you can tackle them while they’re easier to treat.

It can stop you from getting sick. Sometimes, preventive care — like some cancer screenings or vaccines — can even keep health problems from developing altogether.

It can give you peace of mind. Regular checkups give you the chance to share concerns and ask questions about your health — and to get the support you deserve.

It can help you be there for the people that matter to you. Because sometimes, taking care of yourself is the best way to care for the ones you love.

Clinical preventative services, like screenings and vaccinations, can be applied at all stages across your lifespan. They are one of the most important tools we have to prevent health problems — or to stop them from getting worse. Screenings can find health problems early, and some screenings can stop problems from developing altogether.

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But many people—particularly many men between the ages of 18 and 35—aren’t getting all the recommended preventive services, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made this problem worse.

Your North Shore PCN team offers educational information and resources to help you stay healthy! 

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Connect the Dots to a Healthier Life

Medicine usually treats illness or injury, but Preventive Medicine stops sickness before it happens. How does it do this? By ensuring that disease, disability, and death are prevented — one person at a time.

Coordinate the following steps with your Primary Care Provider or contact North Shore Health at 604-983-6700.

It’s important for your child to have regularly scheduled checkups, often called health checkups or well-child visits, beginning shortly after birth and lasting through the teen years. These appointments allow your family doctor to keep a close eye on your child’s health and development.

What is the perinatal period?

Perinatal is the period of time when you become pregnant and through to a year after giving birth.

Check the links below to schedule appropriately timed vaccines and screenings to keep your infant/child healthy

Ask the doctor about the following screenings

Developmental monitoring

Healthy lifestyle programs for you and your family

Regular checkups allow your primary care provider to monitor your child’s growth and development, and check for possible problems. As children get older, protection from childhood vaccines wears off, and new diseases can happen as they enter the pre-teen years – so they still need vaccinations!

Check the link below to schedule appropriately timed vaccines to keep your child healthy

The HPV vaccine is provided free to girls and boys in grade 6 as a series of 2 doses given 6 months apart.

Ask the doctor about the following screenings

Developmental monitoring

Healthy lifestyle programs for you and your family

When you’re young, you may not think much about going to the doctor unless you’re sick or hurt. But your family doctor/nurse practitioner is there in sickness and in health. They offer preventive services to detect disease and prevent illness. It’s important to get these services when you are a teenager. Many of the issues that cause these conditions begin at a young age.

Everyone should maintain a personal vaccination record throughout their life. Keep it in a safe place and present it at every vaccination appointment so it can be updated. Ask your parents or caregivers about your personal vaccination record. Your healthcare provider can also help you find it or give you one if you don’t already have one.

Check the link below to schedule appropriately timed vaccines to keep your child healthy

Ask the doctor about the following screenings

Developmental monitoring

Healthy lifestyle programs for you and your family

As you age, the protection from some vaccines you received at a younger age can wear off. Booster doses are needed to ensure continued protection. For example, adults should get a booster dose of tetanus/diphtheria (Td) vaccine every 10 years.

Your age, lifestyle, job, travel plans, or health condition may put you at risk for new and different diseases. For example: 

  • People who work in healthcare settings are at high risk of hepatitis B infection.
  • Males who have sex with males are at high risk for HPV infection. 
  • Adults who are over 50 have a greater chance of getting shingles.
  • People who are traveling may be at risk for diseases we don’t see here in Canada. 

A comprehensive preventive care program can lower your odds of becoming a statistic. Preventable risk factors such as avoiding tobacco, maintaining your proper weight, regular exercise, avoiding injury, and other steps can significantly reduce your chances of illness or premature death.

Schedule these screenings, doctor’s visits and other services

As you age, the protection from some vaccines you received at a younger age can wear off. Booster doses are needed to ensure continued protection. For example, adults should get a booster dose of tetanus/diphtheria (Td) vaccine every 10 years.

Your age, lifestyle, job, travel plans, or health condition may put you at risk for new and different diseases. For example: 

  • People who work in healthcare settings are at high risk of hepatitis B infection.
  • Males who have sex with males are at high risk for HPV infection. 
  • Adults who are over 50 have a greater chance of getting shingles.
  • People who are traveling may be at risk for diseases we don’t see here in Canada. 

A comprehensive preventive care program can lower your odds of becoming a statistic. Preventable risk factors such as avoiding tobacco, maintaining your proper weight, regular exercise, avoiding injury, and other steps can significantly reduce your chances of illness or premature death.

Schedule these screenings, doctor’s visits and other services

Maintaining good health is key to the quality of life and independence. Physical activity and social connection are vital components of a healthy lifestyle. They reduce the risk of certain disease and chronic conditions, and help to maintain health and mobility, allowing people to enjoy life independently for as long as possible.

Schedule these screenings, doctors visits and other services

 

Disclaimer

The educational information on this site is provided as an information resource only and is not to be used or relied on as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any health condition or problem. Reliance on any information provided by the North Shore Division of Family Practice appearing on, or provided in relation to this website is solely at your own risk. The North Shore Division of Family Practice disclaims any warranty or liability arising from or in connection with the use of this website or any other website to which this site is linked.

Your use of third-party websites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such sites. The information is supplied “as is” or “as available” and may contain errors. Health-related information changes frequently, and therefore some information contained on this website may be outdated, incomplete, or incorrect.