Many of the most important medical care advances over the past 50 years have been improvements in diagnostic and screening tests that permit early identification of risk factors for illness or injury. It is well known that the earlier that health problems, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases can be detected, the greater the potential for successful treatment. In many cases, we are doing well in Santa Barbara County in ensuring our residents get recommended health screenings. For example 92% of adults reported having had their blood pressure checked within the past two years. This exceeds the Healthy People 2000 national objective of 90%.

Another bright spot is in women's health screening. More than 85% of the women surveyed who were age 40 and older reported they had had a mammogram. The Healthy People 2000 national objective for mammograms among women age 40 and older is 85%. About 83% of women of all ages reported having had a pap test within the past 3 years which approaches the Healthy People 2000 national objective of 85%. Unfortunately 47% of women report they never examine their breasts for lumps. Breast self-exam and other women's health screenings greatly improve early detection and successful treatment of breast and cervical cancers.

An area with room for improvement is cholesterol screening. Overall, only 67% of adults in SB County reported they have ever had their cholesterol checked. The rate is lower among Hispanic residents with about 53% reporting they have ever had their cholesterol checked. The Healthy People 2000 national objective for this is that at least 75% of adults will have ever had their cholesterol checked.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men (behind lung cancer). There is a screening test called the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test, that can detect early signs of prostate cancer. About 40% of men reported that they had never had a PSA test. In addition, more than 65% of men do not examine their testicles monthly for signs of testicular cancer. Increased education to men about the value of these screening tests can result in earlier detection of cancers and improved treatment outcomes.

Summary: Preventive Care

• Santa Barbara County has exceeded the Healthy People 2000 national objective for blood pressure screening with 92% reporting they had their blood pressure checked within the past 2 years.

• More than 85% of the women age 40 and older reported they had had a mammogram. This achieves the Healthy People 2000 national objective of 85%.

• About 2/3 of those surveyed reported they had had their cholesterol checked. This is below the Healthy People 2000 national objective of 75%.

• Only about 1/3 of men report that they examine their testicles monthly for testicular cancer.

• Only 53% of women report they perform monthly breast self-exam.