The typical mantra from healthcare experts when ringing in the new year usually centers around commitments to exercise more and lose weight. Although important, there may be a new year resolution that could be more impactful for your health. What about investing in your health by simply visiting your primary care doctor. Sounds simple, but this could literally be the difference between your life and death.

According to Statnews, primary care visits are down 10.3% across America when compared to pre-pandemic levels. This means 1 in 10 Americans who usually come to see their primary doctor for a general checkup have not done so since the Covid-19 pandemic started. This also means that routine screening for important diagnoses like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer have been delayed for these individuals. This ultimately will hinder effective treatment of these diseases that could have been prevented had they been detected.

According to new research, only 14% of cancers that occur in the United States are being detected by screening. This means that 6 of 7 cancers are discovered when symptoms have already occurred. Screening tests are available for five different cancers- lung, breast, colorectal, cervical, and prostate. If screening tests are used less by the general public, then less cancers will be found at an early stage when they are potentially treatable. Too often, cancers get detected when it is too late, symptoms are present and there is limited treatment that can be done to save one’s life.