Attention A T users. To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps. 1. Please switch auto forms mode to off. 2. Hit enter to expand a main menu option (Health, Benefits, etc). 3. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links.

National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Menu
Menu
Quick Links
Veterans Crisis Line Badge
My healthevet badge
 

Get Recommended Screening Tests and Immunizations for Men

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) aims to help you stay healthy. The table below lists the preventive health services (screening tests, medications, health counseling, and vaccines) that VHA recommends.

Screening tests are used to look for health conditions before there are symptoms. These recommendations apply only to adult men of average risk. You are a man of average risk if you have no personal or family history or symptoms of the conditions listed below. If you are having symptoms of a condition, please talk with your provider. Guidance specific to women can be found on the screening and immunizations for women page.

Preventive Care Recommendation Charts

Supporting Information

  • Color Key
  • Green: Recommended (R)
  • Yellow: Recommended for some people — please talk with your provider
  • Red: Not recommended (NR)

Screening Tests for Average Risk Veterans
HEALTH CONDITIONS

18-29
years

30-39
years

40-49
years

50-59
years

60-69
years

70-79
years

80 years
 and older
Abdominal Aortic
Aneurysm (AAA)

Not Recommended 
(age 18-64)

Talk with your provider
(age 65-75)

Not Recommended
(age 76 and older)
Colon Cancer

Not Recommended
(age 18-44)

Recommended.
Frequency varies by test chosen
(age 45–75)

Talk with your provider
(age 76-85)

NR
86+
Depression

Recommended every year
Hepatitis B Infection

Recommended for some men – talk with your provider (age 18 and older)
Hepatitis C Infection

Recommended in adults aged 18-79 years
High Blood Pressure

Recommended every year (age 18 and older)
HIV Infection

Recommended once (age 18 and older); annually in Veterans with ongoing risk factors
Lung Cancer

Not Recommended
(age 18-49)

Recommended for some
men-talk with your provider
(age 50-80)

NR 81+
(age 81 and older)
Prostate Cancer

Not Recommended
(age 18-54)

Talk with your provider
(age 55-69)

Not Recommended
(age 70 and older)
Sexually Transmitted Infections

Talk with your provider about testing for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections (age 18 and older)

Medications
HEALTH CONDITIONS

18-29
years

30-39
years.

40-49
years

50-59
years

60-69
years

70-79
years

80 years
 and older
Aspirin to Prevent
Heart Attack

Not Recommended
(age 18-39)

Talk with your provider 
(age 40-59)

Not Recommended
(age 60 and older)
PrEP to Prevent HIV Infection

Talk with your provider (age 19 and older)
Statin to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease Not Recommended
(age 19-40)		 Recommended for some men - talk
with your provider (age 40 and older)

Health Counseling
HEALTH CONDITIONS

18-29
years

30-39
years

40-49
years

50-59
years

60-69
years

70-79
years

80 years
 and older
Tobacco Use

Recommended every visit (if using tobacco) (age 18 and older)
Alcohol Use

Talk with your provider about healthy alcohol use (age 18 and older)
Healthy Diet and
Physical Activity

Talk with your provider about a healthy diet and physical activity (age 18 and older)
Overweight and Obesity

Recommended every year (age 18 and older)

Vaccines
HEALTH CONDITIONS

18-29
years

30-39
years

40-49
years

50-59
years

60-69
years

70-79
years

80 years
 and older
COVID-19

Recommended for all men—talk with your provider to make sure you stay up-to-date
(https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/)
Hepatitis A

Recommended for some men—talk with your provider (age 19 and older)
Hepatitis B

Recommended for all men who have not already had Hepatitis B vaccine (age 19-59)

Recommended for some men - talk to your provider
(age 60 and older)
Herpes Zoster
(Shingles)
RZV vaccine

Recommended for some men - talk with your provide (age 19 and older)

Recommended 2 doses (age 50 and older),
with second dose 2-6 months after first dose

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
HPV vaccine

2–3 doses
(age 19–26) if series
not completed

Talk with your provider
(age 27–45)

Not recommended
(age 46 and older)

Influenza (Flu)
Injectable, Inhaled

Recommended every year (age 18 and older)
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)

Recommended for some men—talk with your provider (age 19 and older)
Meningococcal Disease

Recommended for some men—talk with your provider (age 19 and older)
Pneumococcal Disease
PCV15, PCV20,
PPSV23 vaccine

Recommended for some men – talk with
your provider (age 19–64)

Recommended - talk to your provider to
make sure you're up-to-date(age 65 and older)
Respiratory Syncytial
Virus (RSV)
RSV vaccine

Not recommended (age 18–59)

“One time”
(single lifetime)
dose recommended for some men – talk with your provider
(age 60-74)

One time”
(single lifetime)
dose recommended for  men age 75
and older
Tdap (Tetanus,
Diphtheria, Pertussis)

Recommend at least 1 dose (age 19 and older)
Booster every 10 years (age 19 and older) (Either Tdap or Td may be used)
(Or for wound management if > 5 years have passed since last tetanus toxoid-containing booster vaccine)
Td (Tetanus
and Diphtheria)

Recommended. Booster every 10 years (age 19 and older) (Either Tdap or Td may be used)
(Or for wound management if > 5 years have passed since last tetanus toxoid-containing booster vaccine)
Varicella (Chickenpox)

Recommended for some men - talk with your provider (2 doses if born 1980 or later)
return to top go