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Many young people believe they don’t need a primary care doctor, instead relying on urgent care clinics when they’re sick.
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Establishing care with a primary care provider as a young adult can help keep you healthy as you age, by ensuring you’re getting necessary screenings and vaccines, and adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.
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Primary care doctors work for you, so find one you can build a relationship with over time and trust with your health.
Why young adults need a primary care doctor
Unless they have a chronic health condition like diabetes, many young adults are choosing not to establish care with a primary doctor. Instead, they’re relying on urgent care clinics when they’re sick — or, of course, Dr. Google.
There are many reasons young adults may choose to forego a relationship with a primary care physician, such as barriers to access or a complex health care system. But a primary care doctor is your first line of defense when your health is threatened, and the earlier you take preventive measures to protect your health, the better.
Matthew Paletta, M.D., a family medicine physician serving patients at Providence Swedish Primary Care in Renton, Washington, recently joined the Providence podcast team for an episode of Talk With A Doc to discuss why it’s critical to take a proactive approach to your health through regular checkups and screenings, even when you’re young.
A Q&A with Dr. Paletta: The importance of preventive care
Developing a relationship with a primary care provider in your 20s and 30s can make a big difference in your future health. Here, Dr. Paletta answers questions about the importance of establishing a baseline of care as a young adult:
Why are regular checkups important for young adults, even if they feel healthy?
It’s more about helping you stay healthy. That’s a lot easier to do when you have a relationship with a primary care provider. It’s much easier as a provider to recognize something that’s not typical with someone they know, versus something that’s not typical with someone they’ve just met for the first time.
Having someone who already knows you and your medical history — and, most importantly, who you trust — goes a long way when you do have an issue or medical question. And that’s really the basis of the primary care model — having someone you trust and someone you can go to when you have a health concern.
How can young adults establish a strong relationship with a health care provider?
It can be hard as a young adult to essentially graduate from being an adolescent, when their parents probably made them go to their pediatrician, to someone who now has to handle their health on their own.
Remember that your relationship with your doctor should be like any other relationship you have: based on trust. Sometimes, it takes trial and error to establish that kind of relationship. It can be hard to find someone you click with. But finding that doctor and forming that relationship can lead to better health going forward.
How often should young adults schedule checkups with their primary care doctor?
It’s different for everyone. Certainly, for young people who don’t have any chronic health conditions, it can be that once you establish care with a visit, you don’t have to come in again until you have a question or concern.
The frequency of appointments is very individualized to each patient. Once you’ve established care with a primary care doctor, you can check in with them annually or throughout the year if you’re sick or if you notice a change in your health.
How can young people prepare for their checkup to make sure they’re getting the most out of it?
It helps to go into your appointments with a clear sense of what you want to get out of the encounter and communicate that goal to your doctor. But keep in mind that your doctor likely has goals for the appointment, too, such as checking your blood pressure and making sure you receive any recommended screenings or vaccines. Open communication is key to ensuring both sets of goals are met and aligned.
What are some of the most common health issues that can be detected through early checkups?
Some of the most common health issues that can be detected through early checkups are conditions you might expect, like high blood pressure (or hypertension) and high cholesterol, but also things you may not expect, like sleep apnea, depression and anxiety. The earlier we can diagnose conditions like these, the earlier we can develop a plan to manage them and prevent them from getting worse.
Why is it important to keep vaccinations up to date, even as an adult?
The primary purpose of vaccines is to help you get less sick if you do get an illness. If you get a flu shot, for example, and your immune system is later confronted with the flu virus, it can attack the virus more effectively and more quickly, so you don’t get as sick. That’s why we encourage vaccines not just for children, but for adults, too.
How can preventive measures you take when you’re a young adult impact your health later in life?
The lifestyle habits you adopt early on in life can affect your health as you age — for better or worse. For example, the process for dementia starts early in life. Things like drinking too much alcohol, not exercising and not eating right all contribute to it.
Key health and wellness takeaways for young adults
Your primary care doctor knows you and your health history. That means they can flag issues that may need further investigation and relieve you of worry when they can. Also, because they understand the vital connection between physical health and mental well-being, your doctor can help you recognize how a problem in one area may affect the other, and give you tools to address it so you’re healthy in both mind and body.
In the primary care model, your doctor works for you, as a trusted source of information and your first point of contact throughout your health journey. They may not always know the answer, but they can help you find it.
Contributing caregiver
Matthew Paletta, M.D., is a family medicine doctor serving patients at Providence Swedish Primary Care in Renton, Washington.
Find a doctor
Primary care providers are your first point of contact when it comes to your health. If you are looking for a primary care provider, you can search for one who’s right for you in our provider directory. We offer both same-day and scheduled appointments.
Download the Providence app
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Related resources
Take control of your blood pressure — and your health
How bad is it to take expired medication?
Anxiety is real — learn what it is and how to cope
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
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