Jill Prickel, FNP-C is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in wellness, chronic care management, and geriatric care.
Jill is proud to partner with you on your health journey and provides supportive, individualized care to patients 5 years old and above.
Both Prickel and trusted resources offer the following recommendations to guide your care.
Men’s health needs change over time, but one thing stays the same: staying proactive with wellness and preventative screenings helps you detect potential concerns early, take control of your health, and continue doing the things you enjoy.
At Decatur County Memorial Hospital (DCMH), our Family Medicine and Internal Medicine providers offer personalized care tailored to every stage of life. These recommendations are designed for average-risk patients. Your provider can help personalize a screening plan based on your family history, lifestyle, and individual health needs.
In Your 20s & 30s – Building Healthy Habits
Your 20s and 30s are often filled with career growth, family responsibilities, and busy schedules. Establishing healthy habits now can have a lasting impact on your future health.
One of the most important steps you can take is establishing a relationship with a family medicine (primary care) provider and completing an annual wellness exam. During these visits, your provider may review your overall health, monitor blood pressure, discuss mental wellness, and help identify potential concerns early. Men should also become familiar with monthly self-checks for skin and testicular cancer.
While many young men feel healthy and may not think they need a provider, a recent Cleveland Clinic study found that nearly 40% of Gen Z men do not have a primary care (family medicine) provider. Establishing care now ensures you have a trusted healthcare partner who understands your health history and can help you stay ahead of future concerns. Annual wellness exams are covered by most insurance plans.
A lipid panel, which measures cholesterol and triglycerides, is recommended every five years to help monitor heart health and establish a baseline for the future.
In Your 40s – Expanding Your Preventative Focus
As you enter your 40s, preventative care becomes even more important. While annual wellness visits remain the foundation of good health, additional screenings can help identify common conditions before symptoms appear.
An A1C screening every three years may be recommended to help detect prediabetes or diabetes before complications develop.
Men should also discuss colorectal cancer screening beginning at age 45. Colonoscopies remain the gold standard for detecting and preventing colorectal cancer by identifying and removing precancerous polyps, but your provider can help you determine which screening tool is best for you.
Heart health also becomes a greater focus during this decade. Lipid panels are typically recommended every two to five years, and men age 45 and older may benefit from a cardiac calcium scoring, a quick, non-invasive scan that helps assess future heart disease risk. This screening monitors your risk for developing heart disease or even a heart attack in the future and can be completed at DCMH for just $49.
In Your 50s and Beyond – Staying Strong for the Years Ahead
Your 50s and beyond are often a time to focus on enjoying life, spending time with family, pursuing hobbies, and planning for the future. Staying current on preventative screenings can help you remain active and independent for years to come.
The screenings recommended earlier in life continue to play an important role, along with additional screenings tailored to your age and risk factors. Lipid panels may be recommended annually, and maintaining ongoing conversations with your provider will help ensure your health plan evolves with your needs.
Men age 50 and older should discuss prostate cancer screening (PSA testing) with their provider. Depending on your personal risk factors and family history, your provider will help determine the appropriate schedule.
For individuals with a significant smoking history, annual lung cancer screening may also be recommended beginning at age 50. This low-dose CT scan can help detect lung cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages and can be completed at DCMH for just $49.
Why Preventative Care Matters
Preventative care helps you stay ahead of potential health concerns and provides a clearer picture of your overall health. Many serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer, often develop without obvious symptoms in their early stages.
Regular screenings, annual wellness visits, and open conversations with your provider can help identify concerns early, when treatment is often most effective.
Next Steps
If you are looking to take charge of your health, DCMH’s family medicine providers are accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call 812-222-DOCS today.