Gambling with Your Health

Most of us go to the doctor when we are sick. But how many of us seek preventative care or make it to all of our checkups? Even though it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your health, sometimes it's just not in the budget. Don't get me started on the costs of mental health treatment!

The C-word (cancer) has touched all of us, even if not directly. Taking initiative with your health can make all the difference in the long run. Health screenings are great tools there for our advantage. Breast and prostate cancer are probably the most mentioned cancers in the media; with breast cancer research being the most funded of all. Although, as we know, there are many other C-words that we should all have a better understanding of; leukemia, skin, lung, cervical, testicular… the list goes on unfortunately.

Even though these screenings provide insightful information and sometimes peace of mind, they are not always free. According to H. Gilbert Welch, being so-called “safe” can come with its’ own set of repercussions. Welch claims that using preventative health screens like mammograms and prostate cancer screenings is “like gambling.“ He claims that they can lead to false positives and over-diagnosis. Meaning, more money and more problems.

Do the financial costs matter when it comes to your health or potentially finding out that you have cancer? Does the possibility of receiving a false positive mean that the screenings are not effective for some? Welch claims that “when it comes to breast and prostate cancer screening, there are no right answers, just trade-offs” (Welch).

I am a big proponent of preventive healthcare and being proactive. However, Welch claims that there are more “losers” than “winners” when it comes to these screenings. Considering the complications that can occur, the actual effectiveness of these screenings is underwhelming. Therefore, in terms of cost-effectiveness, the push for screenings is not supported by what the evidence shows. I found this to be illuminating and disheartening all at once.

Yet, this does not mean that these screenings aren’t beneficial and life-saving! In the end, it is your body and your choice. Please also consider that there are some organizations out there that can help you access health care:

https://www.cvs.com/project-health

https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/preventive-care-benefits/

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/cancer/free-cancer-screening

Welch, H. Gilbert. Cancer Sreenings are a Gamble. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/opinion/cancer-screenings-are-a-gamble.html