When Should You Stop Getting Colonoscopies?

Most people should start colorectal cancer screening with a colonoscopy at age 45. For those at higher risk, earlier screening may be necessary. Colonoscopies are highly effective — they help detect cancer early and can even prevent it by identifying and removing precancerous polyps. But at what age should you stop?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. While 75 was previously considered the age to stop routine screening, new research suggests that healthy adults between 75 and 85 may still benefit. In fact, studies show that colonoscopies can reduce cancer risk and death even in older adults — as long as they are in good overall health.

That said, colonoscopies are medical procedures that come with risks, especially for older adults. These can include bleeding, infection, colon perforation, and complications from anesthesia. Preparation for the procedure can also cause dehydration or electrolyte imbalances, which may be more dangerous as you age.

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Keeping Kids Healthy And Sane In A Digital World – from Kaiser Health News

Smartphones, tablets and video consoles can be addictive. They interfere with sleep. They draw kids into an alternate universe, often distracting them from more productive — and healthier — real-world activities. And they are linked to anxiety and depression, learning disabilities and obesity.

That’s according to a growing body of research emphasizing the physical and psychological dangers of heavy screen use.

“Nobody should spend eight or nine hours doing anything except sleeping and working,” says Dr. Sina Safahieh, medical director of ASPIRE, the teen mental health program run by Hoag Hospital in Orange County, Calif.

Yet for many teenagers, mine included, cellphones and social media are also indispensable tools for planning their social lives, keeping up with schoolwork and staying in touch with out-of-town friends and relatives.

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This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.