Preventive care is more important than an annual physical health check up, according to both an Archives of Internal Medicine article and the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Surprisingly preventive care is incorporated into an annual health checks only about 20% of the time with the remaining 80% of prevention occurring during other office visits or venues.

As per the American data available about 21% of Americans (44.4 million people) and 18% of women (19.4 million women) receive an annual preventive exam. Although annual exams are not recommended by any major North American clinical organization, National health system is clearly devoting a great deal of time, money and resources to them.

Anyone who already has a health problem or family history of certain diseases needs to focus on areas of concern with their physician. Individual good health is best addressed by prevention or at least early detection.

The two goals, community health and individual well being are congruent and synergistic. As we all attack public health problems such as smoking, obesity, heart disease, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and other common but unnecessary afflictions, we will improve our lives, our community and our nation. Focusing on prevention during the annual physical exam helps to accomplish these noble goals.

Ref : http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/feb/17/health-advice-by-dr-weiss-the-value-of-prevention-/