Screenings Adults Most Commonly Skip—and the Reasons Behind It

Colorectal cancer is among the most preventable cancers when caught early, yet the CDC has reported that roughly one in three adults between ages 45 and 75 is not up to date with recommended screening. Guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommend screening beginning at age 45 for average-risk adults, with several test options available — including colonoscopy, stool-based tests, and CT colonography.

Common barriers: Procedural discomfort and the bowel-prep process deter many people from colonoscopy. Others are unaware that less invasive stool-based alternatives exist and can be done at home. Embarrassment around the subject also plays a real role, leading many adults to simply avoid the conversation with their provider altogether. Several common misconceptions — such as believing symptoms would appear first — contribute to delays.

Annual low-dose CT (LDCT) screening is recommended by the USPSTF for adults aged 50 to 80 who have a significant smoking history and currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years. Despite this, uptake remains very low — national estimates suggest fewer than 10 percent of eligible adults have received it.

Common barriers: Many eligible adults simply don't know this screening exists or that they qualify. Provider awareness and referral rates have historically been inconsistent. Some individuals also experience fatalism — a belief that a diagnosis would be too late to matter — which evidence does not support. Radiation exposure is another concern, though the dose involved is substantially lower than a standard chest CT.

The USPSTF recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults aged 35 to 70 who are overweight or have obesity. Because prediabetes and early-stage type 2 diabetes typically produce no noticeable symptoms, it is frequently undetected for years.

Common barriers: Adults who feel healthy often don't perceive personal risk, making it easy to skip a test that doesn't seem urgent. The screening itself — a fasting blood glucose or HbA1c test — is straightforward, but it requires a lab visit and forward planning. Stigma around weight and metabolic health can also discourage frank conversations between patients and providers.

Despite decades of evidence supporting cervical cancer screening, the CDC reports that millions of women who should be screened are not up to date. USPSTF guidelines generally recommend Pap tests every three years for women aged 21 to 65, or combined Pap and HPV co-testing every five years for those aged 30 to 65.

Common barriers: Discomfort during the exam, embarrassment, and prior negative experiences with gynecologic care are frequently cited. Cost and lack of a regular primary care provider also create access gaps. Some women who have received the HPV vaccine mistakenly believe they no longer need cervical screening — vaccination reduces risk significantly but does not eliminate it entirely.

High blood pressure is often called a "silent" condition because it rarely causes noticeable symptoms even when significantly elevated. The USPSTF recommends blood pressure screening for all adults aged 18 and older. Yet many adults go years without having theirs checked, sometimes discovering hypertension only after a cardiovascular event.

Common barriers: Adults without a regular healthcare provider have no natural touchpoint for routine measurement. Others encounter "white coat hypertension" — elevated readings in clinical settings — and dismiss the results. Some believe that feeling well is evidence enough that blood pressure is fine. Home monitors are widely available, but readings should be confirmed and interpreted by a provider rather than used in isolation.

The USPSTF recommends hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening for all adults aged 18 to 79. This recommendation was expanded in 2020 to move beyond risk-factor-based testing alone. Hepatitis C can remain asymptomatic for decades while causing progressive liver damage, and effective curative treatments now exist.

Common barriers: Many adults are unaware of the broad age-based recommendation and believe testing only applies to those with known risk factors. Stigma historically associated with hepatitis C — often linked to injection drug use — leads some adults to assume the test isn't relevant to them, even when it may be. Asking your provider directly about eligibility is the simplest way to clarify whether you fall within the recommended group.