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Screenings by age and gender

Screenings for veterans

VA primary care lists the screening tests it recommends for average-risk veterans by age, and these mostly follow the same schedule as for other adults. (VA chart for men) (VA chart for women) Since the PACT Act, VA also offers every enrolled veteran a short toxic exposure screening. (VA, PACT Act) This page covers screening only, not benefits, claims, treatment or medicines.

The screenings VA lists by age

The VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention publishes charts for men and women of average risk, meaning no personal or family history or symptoms of the listed conditions. It asks every veteran to discuss their own risks with their provider. (VA chart for men) (VA chart for women) The screening rows say: (VA chart for men) (VA chart for women)

  • Blood pressure: every year from 18. See blood pressure screening.
  • Depression: every year. See depression screening.
  • Hepatitis C: adults 18 to 79, and in every pregnancy. Hepatitis B for some adults. See hepatitis C screening.
  • HIV: once from 18, every year with ongoing risk factors, and in every pregnancy. See HIV screening.
  • Colon cancer: from 45 to 75, how often depends on the test; talk with your provider from 76 to 85; not routine from 86. See colorectal cancer screening.
  • Lung cancer: for some adults 50 to 80; talk with your provider. See lung cancer screening.
  • Weight: overweight and obesity checked every year; tobacco use asked about at every visit for people who use tobacco.
  • Women: cervical cancer every 3 years from 21 to 29 and every 3 or 5 years from 30 to 65, depending on the test; mammograms every two years from 40 to 74; bone density once from 65 and for some younger women; gonorrhea and chlamydia tests from 18 to 24. See cervical, breast and osteoporosis screening.
  • Men: talk with your provider about an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) scan from 65 to 75 and about prostate cancer screening from 55 to 69. See AAA screening and prostate cancer screening.

The PACT Act toxic exposure screening

VA says every veteran enrolled in VA health care gets an initial toxic exposure screening and a follow-up at least once every 5 years. (VA, PACT Act) The screening asks whether you think you were exposed to any of these while serving: (VA, PACT Act)

  • open burn pits and other airborne hazards
  • Gulf War-related exposures
  • Agent Orange
  • radiation
  • Camp Lejeune contaminated water
  • other exposures

In plain words, from VA's fast facts: (VA Fast Facts)

  • It is a conversation with a member of your care team, a series of questions that takes about 5 to 10 minutes, and it can be part of a regular appointment, by phone or in a video visit.
  • If you say yes to an exposure, it is noted so that it becomes part of your long-term care plan, and you get information about registry exams and other resources.
  • It is not a full exam. No specific tests or physical exams are indicated based only on reported exposures.
  • It is not a registry evaluation, and it plays no role in deciding disability compensation.
  • You can decline, and it will be offered again the following year.

Breast cancer screening and the SERVICE Act

The VA chart lists mammograms every two years from 40 to 74, with yearly screening possible on request after talking through risks and benefits, and a talk with your provider from 75. (VA chart for women) Under the SERVICE Act, VA says veterans who may have been exposed to burn pits and other toxins can get a breast cancer risk assessment and, as clinically appropriate, a mammogram, regardless of age, symptoms, family history or enrollment. (VA, SERVICE Act) VA lists these places and periods: (VA, SERVICE Act)

  • Iraq, August 2, 1990 to February 28, 1991, and from March 19, 2003
  • the Southwest Asia theater of operations, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar, from August 2, 1990
  • Afghanistan, Djibouti, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen, from September 11, 2001
  • other places and periods set by the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry

VA describes the risk assessment as a series of questions about exposures, family history and other risk factors to decide whether a mammogram is needed. (VA, SERVICE Act) VA also says no direct link between toxic exposure and breast cancer has been found so far, and that studies are continuing. (VA Women Veterans Health) See what to expect at a mammogram.

Lung cancer screening and burn pit questions

VA says you may qualify for lung cancer screening if you are 50 to 80, smoke cigarettes now or quit within the past 15 years, and smoked at least 20 pack-years; the scan is a low-dose CT that takes about five minutes. (VA News, 2025) These match the USPSTF criteria for yearly screening. (USPSTF, 2021)

Burn pit or other military exposure is not part of those criteria. A VA research study notes that veterans are at risk for lung cancer from smoking and from other factors such as military service-related exposures, and is testing screening with wider criteria that include those exposures. (VA research) The USPSTF lists environmental exposures among other lung cancer risk factors outside its criteria. (USPSTF, 2021) If you have exposure concerns, the toxic exposure screening above is where VA records them. See what to expect at a low-dose CT scan and lung cancer screening results.

Hearing checks

Hearing is not a row on the VA screening charts. (VA chart for men) (VA chart for women) VHA says its audiologists assess veterans' hearing, tinnitus and balance, and list diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing conservation and tinnitus assessment among their services. It notes that untreated hearing loss can bring risks such as social isolation, depression, dementia and cognitive decline. (VHA Audiology) For adults 50 and older without symptoms, the USPSTF says the evidence is insufficient to weigh the benefits and harms of hearing screening. (USPSTF hearing, 2021) See hearing tests by age and what to expect at a hearing test.

When to contact a provider

MedlinePlus, hearing loss, when to contact a medical professional: (MedlinePlus)

Contact your provider if:

  • Hearing problems interfere with your lifestyle.
  • Hearing problems do not go away or become worse.
  • The hearing is worse in one ear than the other.
  • You have sudden, severe hearing loss or ringing in the ears (tinnitus).
  • You have other symptoms, such as ear pain, along with hearing problems.
  • You have new headaches, weakness, or numbness anywhere on your body.

The VA charts say that if you are having symptoms of a condition, talk with your provider. (VA chart for men)

Where they differ:

  • AAA scan. The VA chart says to talk with your provider about it for men 65 to 75. (VA chart for men) The USPSTF recommends one-time screening for men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked, and selective screening for those who never smoked. (USPSTF, 2019)
  • Mammograms. The VA chart and the USPSTF both list every two years from 40 to 74. (VA chart for women) (USPSTF, 2024) VA's women's health page says VA follows the USPSTF guidelines but words it as beginning yearly mammograms by 40 and continuing every other year through 74, (VA Women Veterans Health) and the 2023 VA announcement said VA generally follows American Cancer Society guidelines. (VA, SERVICE Act) The SERVICE Act adds screening at any age for deployed veterans, which the USPSTF does not address. (VA, SERVICE Act)
  • Lung cancer. VA and the USPSTF use the same age and smoking criteria; VA research is testing whether military exposures should widen them. (VA News, 2025) (USPSTF, 2021) (VA research)
  • Hearing. The USPSTF finds the evidence insufficient for screening adults 50 and older, (USPSTF hearing, 2021) while VA audiology offers hearing evaluations and hearing conservation services to veterans. (VHA Audiology)
  • Toxic exposure. The PACT Act screening is a VA practice with no USPSTF counterpart; it records exposures and does not by itself lead to tests. (VA, PACT Act) (VA Fast Facts)

Your doctor decides what your result means for you.

Questions people ask

How often does VA do the toxic exposure screening?

VA says every veteran enrolled in VA health care gets an initial toxic exposure screening and a follow-up screening at least once every 5 years. Veterans who are not enrolled but meet the eligibility rules can enroll and then be screened. (VA, PACT Act) (VA Fast Facts)

Does the toxic exposure screening include tests?

No. VA describes it as a series of questions, about 5 to 10 minutes long, often during a regular appointment. VA says no specific tests or physical exams are indicated based only on reported exposures. (VA Fast Facts)

Can a veteran under 40 get a mammogram at VA?

VA says veterans who served in certain places and periods with possible burn pit or other toxic exposure can get a breast cancer risk assessment and, where clinically appropriate, a mammogram, regardless of age, symptoms or family history. (VA, SERVICE Act)

Does burn pit exposure qualify someone for lung cancer screening?

The standard criteria VA lists are age 50 to 80, smoking now or quitting within the past 15 years, and at least 20 pack-years. A VA research study is testing whether to add military exposures and other risk factors. (VA News, 2025) (VA research)

Which screenings does VA list for veterans by age?

For average-risk adults, the VA charts list yearly blood pressure and depression checks, hepatitis C from 18 to 79, HIV at least once, colon cancer from 45 to 75, plus cervical, breast and bone density screening for women and AAA and prostate talks for men. (VA chart for men) (VA chart for women)

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