In the fast-paced rhythm of the twenty-first century, young people are inadvertently building a value system that places their priorities somewhat out of balance. They are willing to spend millions of Vietnamese dong on the latest technology, experiential travel, or courses to advance their professional skills, yet they often overlook the most important encyclopedia of their lives: their physical health.
The mindset of “I’m young, so I’m healthy” or “I only need to see a doctor when I’m sick” has become deeply ingrained in the thinking of many young people. Confident in their bodies’ natural resilience, they tend to regard routine health checkups as a privilege, or an obligation, reserved for older adults or those living with chronic conditions.
However, amid the growing prevalence of serious diseases among younger populations and the intense pressures of modern lifestyles, regular health checkups are no longer merely an optional recommendation. They have become an essential strategy for protecting one’s long-term health and future.
Young people’s complacency largely stems from misconceptions about the nature of modern diseases. Clinical medicine has shown that many serious and potentially life-threatening conditions do not necessarily announce themselves through severe pain or obvious symptoms during their early stages.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, hormonal disorders, and particularly early-stage insulin resistance are often described as “silent killers” because they can gradually damage blood vessels and internal organs without producing noticeable clinical symptoms for years. Routine health checkups provide an important means of uncovering these hidden risks through laboratory tests and other diagnostic assessments.
Detecting an abnormality while it is still only a finding on a laboratory report can create a valuable window for early intervention. At that stage, students and working professionals may be able to change their diet and lifestyle to reverse or control the condition, rather than facing serious complications affecting the heart, kidneys, or eyes after the disease has progressed.
Even more concerning, epidemiologists in Vietnam and around the world have in recent years raised alarms over the increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer among younger populations. Diets high in saturated fats, excessive alcohol consumption, the use of stimulants, physical inactivity, and prolonged work-related stress are placing increasing strain on young people’s health.
Statistics from major hospitals suggest that cases of stroke, heart attacks, and colorectal cancer among people under 35 are becoming increasingly common. Diseases once widely regarded as “illnesses of old age” can now affect younger adults as well. Without establishing a basic health-screening routine at least once a year, young people may effectively be gambling with their health, and, in some cases, with their lives or long-term physical independence.
From the perspective of personal finance and risk management, avoiding regular health checkups to save money or time is actually a shortsighted financial calculation. Many young people worry that a checkup will require an upfront expense ranging from several hundred thousand to several million Vietnamese dong, or cost them a day of work. Yet they often overlook the opportunity cost and enormous financial burden associated with treating disease at an advanced stage.
Identifying an early-stage abnormality, lesion, tumor, or elevated liver enzyme level can often lead to a relatively simple and timely treatment plan at a manageable cost. In some cases, lifestyle changes alone may be sufficient, without the need for medication.
By contrast, once a disease progresses to a chronic or malignant stage, the cost of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or specialized medication can soar into the hundreds of millions or even billions of Vietnamese dong. Such expenses can severely undermine the financial foundation accumulated by both individuals and their families, potentially derailing young people’s career plans and forcing them to start over.
Beyond financial considerations, undergoing health screenings while still in the prime of youth also carries an important scientific benefit: establishing an individual biological baseline.
Every human body is unique, with its own physiological characteristics and metabolic patterns. Having a comprehensive medical record documenting blood counts, liver and kidney function, blood pressure, and other health indicators at around age 20 can provide an invaluable reference point for physicians in the future.
When a person reaches their thirties or forties, even small changes in these indicators compared with their earlier baseline may provide important clues about emerging health risks. Such information can help medical professionals better assess disease trends and provide more personalized recommendations for maintaining health.
This is why modern medicine is increasingly shifting its focus from passive treatment to proactive prevention, making routine health monitoring an integral part of a healthy lifestyle.
