Health Matters - Apple Magazine Health Matters Spring 2016 | Page 3

Zeller
Proactive about her health, Rhonda Petryk had
screening tests for breast cancer, osteoporosis
and colon cancer.
A patient at RCA Diagnostics discusses the results of her mammogram
with Dr. Illya Boridy.
Getting screening while you’re
healthy can go a long way to prevent
illness in the future
“Many patients are concerned when we suggest
they not be screened for certain diseases,”
Dickinson says. “The issue is a matter of balancing
the harms and benefits of screening tests.”
He adds false positive test results, which are
common in some procedures, can be very
stressful for patients and families and may cause
harm from unnecessary treatments. Choosing the
right preventive activities is critical.
Primary care doctors routinely screen patients
by talking to them about lifestyle factors, such as
family history, smoking, physical activity, diet and
sex partners. As patients age and their health risks
change, doctors also turn to screening tests to
detect or assess the risk of certain illnesses.
With the introduction of provincial electronic
medical records, doctors are better able to track
their screening tests. Some, like Dr. Heather La
Borde of the Calgary Foothills PCN, use the
system to phone and remind patients of regular
cancer screening tests.
Says Train: “Getting screening while you’re healthy
can go a long way to prevent illness in the future.”
Bigger still, says Dickinson, is what people do for
themselves.
“Positive change to your behaviour—your
lifestyle—is still the most important way to prevent
disease.”
— Anne Georg
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