You might still be asking, what is preventive care? But there’s a good chance you’ve already experienced it. If you’ve ever had bloodwork done to check your cholesterol or an annual scan, you’ve undergone preventive care.
Before moving locations, it’s a good idea to set up an appointment with your doctor at home for a routine wellness check. During this visit, let your doctor know you’re about to move or travel. That way they will pay special attention to the factors of your health that could potentially change during that time.
The doctor will check:
- Your bloodwork
- Your medications
- Vaccination status
- Height, weight and lifestyle changes
Your doctor is the most important person to help set you up for success. Make sure you tell your doctor about any potential health concerns during this time before you move to your new international insurance plan, which may not include them as a provider.
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Organize your Prescription Medications
While consulting with your preventive health care team, tell your doctors about any prescription medications you currently take. Traveling abroad with prescription medications can pose challenges.
Before you leave, ask your doctor for larger quantities to last, alternatives to look for in your destination country and the types of prescription documentation you should bring. Your doctor might ask you to also seek the care of a new physician abroad. But the status of your prescription medications is an important preventive care conversation to have.
Skipping a dose of medication, accidentally doubling up or taking a pill at the wrong time due to time differences can negatively impact your health. Carefully plan travel with your doctor to properly adhere to your regimen and avoid an adverse medication-related event.
Prepare for Lifestyle Changes
You might be moving from sunny California to cold Iceland, which means a big change in lifestyles. It’s important to think about how lifestyle choices impact your health. Moving can impact your mood, exercise routine, diet and more. So work with a health care professional or talk with friends and family to think through how to plan for these changes.
For example, if you typically take a walk outside every morning in beautiful weather but you can’t do that in your new country, plan to find an area where you can stay active indoors. If you follow a gluten-free diet at home, identify bakeries, restaurants or other food stores that carry grains you can eat to avoid nutritional deficits while gone.
Beyond exercise and diet changes, factors such as sunlight can impact your mood and mental health. If you’re used to a lot more sun and daylight than your destination has to offer, think of investing in a special seasonal light for your new place.
These environmental factors can also take a toll on your mental health, which may be strained by leaving friends and family members at home. If you have a history of anxiety, depression or any other mental illness especially linked to change, take preventative measures to seek out a therapist or make other lifestyle updates such as getting enough sleep and lowering stress levels. Preventive care can help you stay mentally healthy abroad as you also focus on your physical health.
Schedule your Screenings
Something that might fall off your radar is an annual or periodic screening exam. Before leaving your home country, check if you’re due for any screening exams and schedule your appointments.
The types of screening exams you might undergo depend on your medical history, gender, age and other risk factors. Ask your doctor if you’re unsure what you need.
Screening exams include:
- Colonoscopies
- Mammograms
- Low dose chest CTs for patients at risk for lung cancer
- Annual skin checks with a dermatologist
- Pap smears
- Prostate exams
Screening exams can help catch a disease when you have more treatment options. Give yourself peace of mind and cross something off your to-do list by scheduling exams at home. That way you know you’re healthy and in the clear before crossing international borders.
Stay Up to Date on Vaccinations
An important part of preventive care before moving abroad is making sure your shots are up to date. When you move to a new place, you’re unfamiliar with the environment and other conditions, putting you at potential risk for new illness.
Some injections, you might’ve gotten years ago as a child or teen, and they could still be effective. You should, however, still check in with your doctor to see if you’re due for anything else, especially depending on your destination’s risk factors.
Check to be sure you’ve received the following vaccines:
- Hep B for Hepatitis B
- DTP for tuberculosis, tetanus and whooping cough
- MMR to prevent measles, mumps and rubella
Depending on your personal health history and moving plans, your doctor may recommend other vaccines to keep you safe. Your destination country might also have regulations in place requiring you to get vaccinated against a certain illness such as COVID-19 or yellow fever. Do your research and make sure checking on your vaccines is part of your preventive care.
While there’s no way to prevent every single type of illness or condition, you can take control over many factors of your health. Through careful planning, organization and visiting with preventive health care professionals at home, you can hopefully maintain or even improve your health after moving overseas.