The 2009 Guide includes 69 recommendations made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force from 2002 to March 2009. The USPSTF recommendations are routinely used to provide high-quality and appropriate preventive care. Among the new and updated recommendations contained in the 2009 guide are several that address chronic conditions in adults, including screening for lipid disorders; type 2 diabetes; colorectal, prostate, and skin cancer; as well as use of aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease. Underscoring its relevance to practicing clinicians, the aspirin recommendation was one of the most-viewed downloads from the Annals of Internal Medicine Web site for several monthsfollowing its publication in mid-March 2009.

The 2009 Guide includes screening and treatment recommendations for children and adolescents on a wide range of topics (see Section 3 of this Guide). Also, a new section of the USPSTF Web page, titled “Focus on Children and Adolescents,” (http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tfchfocus.htm) features a categorical index of recommendations plus information on the Task Force’s processes for reviewing evidence and making recommendations about child and adolescent preventive services.

Contents

• Foreword
• Preface
• 1. Preventive Services Recommended by the USPSTF
• 2. Recommendations for Adults
  • Cancer
  • Heart, Vascular, and Respiratory Diseases
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Injury and Violence
  • Mental Health Conditions and Substance Abuse
  • Metabolic, Nutritional, and Endocrine Conditions
  • Musculoskeletal Conditions
  • Obstetric and Gynecologic Conditions
  • Vision Disorders
• 3. Recommendations for Children and Adolescents
  • Screening for Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children and Pregnant Women
  • Screening for Congenital Hypothyroidism
  • Prevention of Dental Caries in Preschool Children
  • Screening for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
  • Screening for Idiopathic Scoliosis in Adolescents
  • Screening for Lipid Disorders in Children
  • Screening and Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents
  • Universal Screening for Hearing Loss in Newborns
  • Screening and Interventions for Overweight in Children and Adolescents
  • Screening for Phenylketonuria
  • Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Newborns
  • Screening for Speech and Language Delay in Preschool Children
  • Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger Than Age 5 Years
• Appendixes
  • Appendix A
  • Appendix B
  • Appendix C
  • Appendix D. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedules

The recommendation statements in this Guide are abridged. To view the full recommendation statements or recommendation statements published after March 2009, go to http://www​.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov.

The U.S Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) allows users to download the USPSTF recommendations to PDA devices, receive PDA e-mail notifications of updates, and search and browse recommendations online. Users can search the ePSS for recommendations by patient age, sex, and pregnancy status. To download, subscribe, or search, go to http://epss​.ahrq.gov.

Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. Government. They should not be construed as an official position of AHRQ or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.