According to the smarties who research health and lifestyle choices, an estimated 20 percent of the deaths that happen in the U.S. are due to poor lifestyle factors and behavioral decisions1. While this is a sobering statistic, there are things that people can do to live a healthier life. For instance, research shows that people who embrace basic health screenings have a better chance of altering their behavior toward good health.
About the Research
The Journal of Community Medicine and Health Education published new research addressing the issue of lifestyle choices and people’s health2. To complete the study, researchers surveyed 3,267 people who were scheduled for cardiovascular screenings through Lifeline Screening. Those who participated in the study were generally over the age of 50, and many of them were women. Researchers divided the participants into two groups. One group was surveyed before their screening while the other group was surveyed after it.
The research team asked the groups questions about their current health strategy and future health plans. After the surveys from both groups were complete, researchers evaluated the answers to determine how the participants intended to adjust their lifestyles. This evaluation considered the act of having the screening as well as if the presence of a completed one changed anyone’s behavior plans.
The Results
The results of the study’s research revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups in regards to making future behavior changes. Many of the respondents in the screened group confirmed that they intended to make healthy changes like eating a balanced diet or adding exercise to their daily routine while those in the group who had yet to be screened felt that their current lifestyle was mostly fine.
The interesting thing about this particular study was that researchers determined that participants had more interest in making their lifestyle a healthier one following the screening regardless of what their personal results indicated.
Study participants who received abnormal or critical results from their screenings reported that they were more likely to follow the exact instructions given to them by their doctors and take all of their prescriptions according to their predetermined schedule. When people make positive behavioral health changes, they may decrease the development of chronic diseases. Research shows that health screenings are able to influence the smoking habits, exercise, alcohol consumption and diet of those who get them. These tests can also result in a shift toward overall healthy living.
The Number One Killer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that heart disease continues to be the number one killer of men and women in the U.S3. In fact, the agency recently confirmed that heart disease causes one quarter of all deaths. Despite this sobering statistic, most people are unaware of their own cardiovascular health. The easiest way to determine where your cardiovascular health stands is to schedule a screening. Not only is the assessment easy to complete, but it also provides fast results, allowing you to act right away.
The Importance of Preventative Care
People who take a proactive approach to their health receive a number of benefits. Screenings can often identify diseases and other ailments before they start to show symptoms. Vascular screenings that include testing for atrial fibrillation and finger stick blood tests allow healthcare professionals to identify and prevent some diseases before they have a chance to develop.
Finger stick blood tests are almost painless, and this small sample of blood is enough to screen for different diseases and health markers. Screening companies process a complete lipid panel to measure a person’s total cholesterol levels including the “good” HDL and the “bad” LDL levels. With the blood from a finger prick, a glucose screening can be done to assess blood sugar levels and determine a person’s risk of developing diabetes. This type of screening also assesses certain protein levels that are indicators of cardiovascular problems.
Preventative screenings from Life Line Screening are able to spot numerous health risk factors. When they do, you can make simple lifestyle modifications that will slow or prevent some health conditions from forming. Those who are proactive in their healthcare may even save money in the long run since treating developed diseases costs more than preventing them.
Lifeline Screening
Colin Scully and Timothy Phillips founded Life Line Screening in 1993. They started the company in Florida. Since then, it has extended to locations around the U.S. and even into the United Kingdom. By 1998, Life Line had provided screenings to more than 500,000 individuals. In 2007, the company expanded its services by adding finger-stick blood testing to its service list, allowing it to give people complete workups, ones that include screening for high cholesterol, inflammation and diabetes.
The screening company does testing that’s safe, quick, painless and noninvasive. The tests are also completed by technicians who know what they’re doing. Along with this, Life Line’s screening equipment is the kind that you’ll see in hospitals and clinics. Board-certified doctors read the results, so you can trust the company’s screenings.
Every person is unique. This means that everyone has his or her own set of health risk factors. Lifeline Screening takes steps to determine the tests that are the most important and helpful to you. The company does this based on your age, family history, medical history and overall health risk profile.
Technology is advancing medical care constantly. Because of this, Lifeline Screening uses state-of-the-art screening equipment to deliver the most accurate results. To help the medical community, the company shares its results and statistics with many professional scientific journals. Lifeline Screening also works with the University of California at San Francisco, the New York University School of Medicine and Oxford University to increase research into screenings.
Taking Control of Your Future
Lifeline Screening is a company that has been in business for years, so you know that the screening results it provides are accurate and meant to help you lead a better life. Cardiovascular screenings give people a basis for making future healthcare decisions. Those who choose to get one will have the opportunity to potentially live longer, healthier lives.
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