A health risk assessment is a simple, easy-to-answer questionnaire that evaluates a person's risk for illness and quality of life.
The assessment analyzes the person's, information and helps determine the person's risk for developing things like heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer's Disease, and stroke.
Usually, a risk assessment test is done with a medical professional, but you can also do the assessment at home.
A health assessment allows you to take a proactive approach to your health, helping you live a longer, healthier life.
A health risk assessment looks at various information about a person, such as:
Based on the person's information, a score is calculated regarding the person's risk for illness.
You might think that blood sugar testing is only for those with diabetes, but a person's blood sugar is important in almost every process that goes on in the body.
Blood sugar, also called blood glucose, is exactly what it sounds like – how much sugar (glucose) is in a person's blood. Under normal conditions, the body regulates blood sugar by releasing the right amount of insulin after we eat.
However, those with diabetes have improper insulin release or not enough insulin, and their blood sugar levels can spike to dangerously high levels, which is why most diabetics take insulin.
Casual blood sugar tests are very simple and easy to read, especially with an electronic glucose meter. With a casual blood sugar test, the finger is pricked and a drop of blood is put onto a test strip. The glucose meter reads the strip and a number is reported.
For those without diabetes, a normal level is below 125 at any given time. Eating raises blood sugar levels, which is why tests need to be done at various times of the day, especially for diabetics (or suspected diabetics).
Celiac disease is when a person has trouble digesting gluten, a wheat protein found in thousands of food products, especially breads and cereals.
Usually the trouble begins during childhood, with symptoms that include gas, bloating, cramping, fatigue, and inability to gain weight. Because these symptoms are similar to other problems, such as Crohn's disease or a food intolerance, the right tests are important to find the root of the problem.
Celiac testing should be done while the person is still eating a diet with gluten. For those suspected to have Celiac disease, a blood antibody test is done in order to look for specific antibodies.
If the antibody test comes back positive, an upper endoscopy may be performed. This is done to look at parts of the intestines for inflammation and to collect tissue samples.
If your test results are positive, your doctor may perform a biopsy of the small intestine to confirm a diagnosis of celiac disease. If the biopsy shows signs of celiac disease, a gluten-free diet will be recommended.
If the symptoms go away after starting the gluten-free diet, and a repeat blood-antibody test is normal, a diagnosis of celiac disease is confirmed.
Alzheimer's is a debilitating and devastating disease in which the brain slowly atrophies (shrinks or wastes away).
Over time, the person suffers extreme memory loss, especially in activities of daily living, like dressing or feeding themselves. Eventually, this can lead to loss of language usage, the inability to remember family or friends, and at the end, total loss of bodily functions and movement.
Alzheimer's usually sets in after age 65, and is diagnosed through a series of tests. First, a doctor evaluates a person's history, interviews family, and tests the person's mental functioning with a mini-mental state exam.
If Alzheimer's seems to be a possibility after this, a brain scan is done to determine loss of brain functioning. Alzheimer's testing is usually diagnosed with the presence of cognitive impairment confirmed by neurological testing.
As we learn more about breast cancer, new tools are developed to help people measure their risk for developing breast cancer.
The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment tool was developed by the National Cancer Institute to help women proactively measure their risk for breast cancer. The tool analyzes a person's demographics, medical history, and family history of breast cancer, and then gives the person a percentage of the chance they'll get breast cancer.
The Breast Cancer Health Risk Assessment tool can be accessed here. While this tool is useful, it should not replace routine breast exams and visits to your doctor.
Computer-based healthcare is pushing the boundaries of how healthcare is delivered. New technologies are being developed that make it easier to see a medical professional in your own home and to help you take control of your health.
Health risk assessment software helps us take our health into our own hands by allowing us to monitor our risks for disease as our life changes. This kind of preventative healthcare is critical in shaping how the world will move towards healthier lifestyles in the future.