🧐🩺 Number Wey Fit Guide You For Health Choices (E No Be Your Age O)
⬇️ Pidgin ⬇️ ⬇️ Black American Slang ⬇️ English
Wetin age fit do na im dey di talk when dem dey reason matter of if screening and treatments dey good to do. But abi you sabi how you fit know ya own? Di way dem dey look am now na say you fit old, like 76 years old sef, but dat no mean say you no fit still live long.
Di matter of screenings and age 🚑
Doctor go ask di patient if she wan continue dey do mammograms to see if breast cancer dey, but go come follow tell her say e don reach almost 10 years since she do her last colonoscopy.
She dey 76. Chai! 😳
This patient age fit be wahala say she no need any mammogram appointment again. Even dat group dem dey call U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, for dem new guideline, dem talk say make dem dey check mammograms for women from 40 to 74, but no be everybody go fit talk wetin di benefit and wahala go be for women wey don pass 75 years. 🧓🏽💉
Wetin We Fit Consider 🤔
Screening for colorectal cancer, na him fit also get wahala for old people. Di task force carry C grade put for people wey dey 76 to 85, as e mean say di net benefit small. Na only when e really need na im dem go fit give, dem guidelines dey talk am. 📜
But you know say no be only age fit tell wetin dey happen. Di woman fit dey play tennis two times every week? She get heart disease? Her mama and papa live long reach 90 years? She dey smoke? All dis tins go fit affect how she go take live long, and na him go fit make di cancer screenings useful, no make sense or even cause wahala. Even for drug matter, surgeries, treatments and screenings sef, e still dey applicable. 🎾💔👵🏾🚬
We Must Look Pass Age 😮
Dr. Steven Woloshin, one doctor, talk say no go make sense to draw di line by age alone. E get to be age plus other tins wey fit limit your life. 📏✋🏽
So dem medical associations and health advocacy groups slowly don dey change dia way, dey base tests and treatments on life expectancy, no be just age. 🌡️📚
“Life expectancy dey give us more tori pass age alone,” Dr. Sei Lee, wey be geriatrician talk am. “E go lead to better decision.” ✅
Wetin Dem Guidelines Talk 📋
Some guidelines for old people wey dey do lung cancer tests, na so di guidelines advise say make dem look factors like smoking history and “health problem wey fit limit life expectancy” when e wan stop screening. 🚭🧪
Di task force wey dey look colorectal screening say make dem dey consider old person “health status (like life expectancy, co-morbid conditions), prior screening status and wetin di person like.” 📋
Even di American College of Physicians dey use life expectancy for dia prostate cancer screening guidelines; and so na im di American Cancer Society dey do for breast cancer screening for women wey don pass 55 years. 🏥👩🏽⚕️
How Person Go Sabi How Long E Go Live? 🤷🏽♀️
How dat 76 years old woman go take sabi how long she go live? How anybody go take know?
75 years old person get average life expectancy of 12 years. But when Dr. Eric Widera check census data from 2019, e see plenty difference. 📈
Di data show say di least healthy 75-year-olds, wey dey di lowest 10 percent, fit die in about three years. Those wey dey di top 10 percent go fit live for another 20 years or more. 📊
All dis predictions na average e dey use, e no fit tell exact life expectancy for one person. But just as doctors dey use risk calculators to decide, say, whether to give drugs to stop osteoporosis or heart disease, consumers fit use online tools to get small idea. 🌐💻
Calculators We Fit Use 🖩
Some health institutions and groups get disease-specific online calculators. Di American College of Cardiology dey give “risk estimator” for cardiovascular disease. National Cancer Institute get calculator for breast cancer risk, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center give one for lung cancer. 🏨🩸
But calculators wey dey look only one disease no dey compare di risks to those of mortality from other causes. “E no dey give you di context,” Dr. Woloshin talk. 🤨
Di biggest online tool for estimating life expectancy in old people na ePrognosis, wey dem develop for 2011 by Dr. Widera, Dr. Lee and others. E dey for health care professionals and even consumers sef, e dey offer about two dozen geriatric scales wey fit estimate mortality and disability. 🖥️👴🏾
Di calculators get different kind, some for people wey dey live for house, others for people wey dey nursing homes or hospitals. E get information about health history and present health level. Even get “time to benefit” wey go show which screenings and treatments go still dey useful for specific life expectancy. 🏠🏥
If we look our 76-year-old example, if she be healthy person wey never smoke, wey no dey get wahala for daily activities, and fit waka quarter mile without wahala, one mortality scale for ePrognosis dey show say her extended life expectancy fit make mammography dey okay, no matter wetin age guidelines talk.
NOW IN BLACK AMERICAN SLANG
🧐🩺 Number That Might Guide Your Health Choices (And Ain’t Your Age)
So, peep this. Age is what folks usually look at when they’re thinking about screenings and treatments. But let’s say you’re 76 – doesn’t mean the clock’s run out on you.
Talking ‘Bout Screenings and Age 🚑
Say a doc’s talkin’ to a patient ’bout keepin’ up those breast cancer checks, then brings up it’s been a hot minute – like 10 years – since the last colonoscopy.
She’s 76? Whoa! 😳
Most would think no more mammograms needed. The bigwigs at the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say 40 to 74 is the golden zone for those check-ups, but after 75? It’s all foggy. 🧓🏽💉
Breaking Down the Factors 🤔
And colorectal cancer checks? They become a question mark after a certain age. The task force ain’t too sold on it for those 76 to 85. Guidelines say, handle with care. 📜
But age ain’t the whole story. Maybe she’s playing tennis, got heart issues, parents lived a long life, or she smokes? These things can change the game, making those cancer checks a go or no-go. Applies to meds, surgeries, and other check-ups, too. 🎾💔👵🏾🚬
Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number 😮
Doctor Woloshin’s keeping it real – says drawing the line at age ain’t making sense. It’s a combo of age and other life-limiting factors that need to be in the mix. 📏✋🏽
So the medical world’s catching on, making moves from age to life expectancy for treatments and tests. 🌡️📚
“Life expectancy tells us more than age alone,” drops Dr. Sei Lee. “Leads to better choices.” ✅
Inside the Guidelines 📋
Some lung cancer test guidelines are putting stuff like smoking history and “life-limiting health problems” in the equation when it’s time to stop the screening. 🚭🧪
The task force for colorectal screening is looking at “health status (like life expectancy, other health issues), prior screening, and what the patient wants.” 📋
The American College of Physicians and the American Cancer Society are taking life expectancy into account for prostate and breast cancer screening for women over 55. 🏥👩🏽⚕️
How Long You Got? 🤷🏽♀️
How’s that 76-year-old woman supposed to know her time? How’s anybody?
If you’re 75, the average life expectancy is 12 years. But Dr. Eric Widera broke down the 2019 data and found it’s all over the place. 📈
The least healthy 75-year-olds might have three years, while the healthiest could have another 20 or more. 📊
These predictions are just the average, though, not the pinpoint. But like docs use calculators for stuff like osteoporosis or heart disease, people can use online tools to get the lowdown. 🌐💻
Online Calculators 🖩
There are calculators online for specific diseases from places like the American College of Cardiology and the National Cancer Institute. 🏨🩸
But those single-disease calculators don’t give you the whole picture. “They don’t give you the context,” says Dr. Woloshin. 🤨
The most extensive online tool is ePrognosis, developed in 2011 by Dr. Widera, Dr. Lee, and others. It gives a bunch of geriatric scales for life expectancy and disability. 🖥️👴🏾
These calculators break it down, whether you’re living at home, a nursing home, or a hospital. They’re looking at your history, current health, and even when treatments might still be worth it. 🏠🏥
Take our 76-year-old example. If she’s healthy, never smoked, can do her daily stuff, and walk without tripping, ePrognosis might say those mammograms are still a good move, age guidelines aside. 🚶🏽♀️💪🏾
But if she’s a former smoker with lung disease, diabetes, and can’t move around much, the calculator might say keep the statin but drop the breast cancer screening. 🚬🏃🏽♀️
“Competing mortality” means she might not even live long enough to see a benefit. 🏁
So What’s Good? 🧩
It’s tough. Life expectancy isn’t always clear-cut. Dr. Woloshin lays it out, saying there’s a whole bunch of things in play, and it ain’t always simple. 🧠
But the shift to life expectancy is happening. Knowing how long you’ve got isn’t just a number; it’s about seeing what the future holds and making smart choices. 🔮💡
You might be thinking, “How can I use this?” You don’t need to be a doc or a scientist to check out ePrognosis. Play around with the info, talk to your healthcare provider, and make the right moves for you. 💼👩🏽⚕️
Age might be a big deal, but life expectancy – that’s the real MVP when it’s time to make health decisions. 🏆
NOW IN ENGLISH
🧐🩺 A Number That May Guide Your Health Choices (And It’s Not Your Age)
Age is often a factor when considering whether screenings and treatments are appropriate. However, did you know that you may be elderly, even 76 years old, and still have a long life ahead?
Considering Screenings and Age 🚑
A doctor might discuss with a patient whether she wants to continue having mammograms for breast cancer, only to also mention that it’s almost 10 years since her last colonoscopy.
She’s 76. Wow! 😳
At this age, it might be assumed that she no longer needs any mammogram appointments. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, in their new guideline, recommends mammograms for women between the ages of 40 and 74, but the benefits and risks for women over 75 are unclear. 🧓🏽💉
Factors to Consider 🤔
Screening for colorectal cancer might also be questionable for older adults. The task force assigns a C grade for those aged 76 to 85, indicating a small net benefit, and the guidelines recommend it only when necessary. 📜
But it’s not only about age. Does the woman play tennis twice a week? Does she have heart disease? Did her parents live to 90? Does she smoke? These factors might influence her life expectancy and make cancer screenings more useful, irrelevant, or even harmful. This is also applicable to medications, surgeries, treatments, and other screenings. 🎾💔👵🏾🚬
Looking Beyond Age 😮
Dr. Steven Woloshin believes that it doesn’t make sense to draw the line based on age alone. It should be a combination of age and other factors that could limit one’s life. 📏✋🏽
Thus, medical associations and health advocacy groups are gradually shifting their focus, basing tests and treatments on life expectancy rather than just age. 🌡️📚
“Life expectancy provides more information than age alone,” explains Dr. Sei Lee, a geriatrician. “It leads to better decision-making.” ✅
Guideline Insights 📋
Some guidelines for older adults undergoing lung cancer tests advise considering factors like smoking history and “health problems that may limit life expectancy” when deciding to stop screening. 🚭🧪
The task force for colorectal screening advises taking into consideration the older person’s “health status (such as life expectancy, co-morbid conditions), prior screening history, and preferences.” 📋
The American College of Physicians also uses life expectancy for their prostate cancer screening guidelines, as does the American Cancer Society for breast cancer screening for women over 55. 🏥👩🏽⚕️
How Can One Determine How Long They Will Live? 🤷🏽♀️
How can that 76-year-old woman know how long she will live? How can anyone know?
A 75-year-old person has an average life expectancy of 12 years. But when Dr. Eric Widera examined census data from 2019, he found significant variation. 📈
The data shows that the least healthy 75-year-olds (in the lowest 10%) might die in about three years, while those in the top 10% could live for another 20 years or more. 📊
All these predictions are averages and cannot pinpoint an individual’s exact life expectancy. Just like doctors use risk calculators to decide whether to administer drugs for osteoporosis or heart disease, people can use online tools to gain some insight. 🌐💻
Available Calculators 🖩
Some health institutions and groups provide disease-specific online calculators. The American College of Cardiology offers a “risk estimator” for cardiovascular disease. The National Cancer Institute has a calculator for breast cancer risk, and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center provides one for lung cancer. 🏨🩸
But single-disease calculators don’t compare risks to those of mortality from other causes. “It doesn’t give you the context,” Dr. Woloshin says. 🤨
The most extensive online tool for estimating life expectancy in older adults is ePrognosis, developed in 2011 by Dr. Widera, Dr. Lee, and others. Available to health care professionals and even consumers, it offers about two dozen geriatric scales to estimate mortality and disability. 🖥️👴🏾
The calculators vary, some for people living at home, others for those in nursing homes or hospitals. They include information about health history and current health status. There’s even a “time to benefit” feature that reveals which screenings and treatments may still be relevant for specific life expectancies. 🏠🏥
In our 76-year-old example, if she’s healthy, never smoked, has no difficulty with daily activities, and can walk a quarter mile without trouble, one mortality scale on ePrognosis shows that mammography might still be appropriate, despite what age-based guidelines suggest.
