When doctors don't know best.(medical screening tests)

During routine checkups--even in the midst of major medical decisions--many people turn passive and unquestioning, letting the doctor call all the shots. After all, the doctor knows best, right? Not always, according to Consumer Reports on Health, our monthly newsletter. Increasingly, you must become an active participant in your own health care and that of your loved ones.

IMPORTANT SCREENINGS

Many doctors fail to perform screening tests that people need for the following:

Chlamydia. Untreated chlamydia increases a woman's risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy, HIV infection, and possibly cervical cancer; it also increases the risk of newborn death. Women with more than one sexual partner or a single partner who isn't monogamous should be tested every year.

Depression. An estimated 10 to 20 million adults suffer from major depression, but only 5 to 6 million are treated.

Colon cancer. All adults should be tested for this cancer starting at age 50. Three main tests include the fecal occult-blood test, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Our medical consultants lean toward colonoscopy every 10 years as the most effective screen.

Osteoporosis. Bone-density testing can assess your risk of developing osteoporosis. Request a bone-density test every one to three years if you are over age 65; postmenopausal women under 65 who aren't taking estrogen and who have diabetes, a family history of osteoporosis, or other risk factors can also benefit from the test.