Principles of Screening

The primary principles of public health screening include the selection of an important health problem, the availability of an effective treatment, and a suitable and accurate screening test. The condition being screened for should be of significant public health importance, with a well-understood natural history and a detectable preclinical phase. The screening test should be reliable, valid, and cost-effective, with acceptable sensitivity and specificity to minimize false-positive and false-negative results.

In addition to these criteria, ethical considerations play a crucial role in public health screening within the European context. Informed consent, confidentiality, and respect for autonomy are paramount to ensure that individuals are adequately informed of the screening process, benefits, and potential risks. Furthermore, screening programs should be accessible, equitable, and efficient in order to reach the target population and reduce health disparities across different social, economic, and geographical contexts.

Lastly, ongoing evaluation and monitoring of public health screening programs are essential to assess their effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and overall impact on public health.

References

• This text was originally generated on 28 March 2023 by ChatGPT4.0 and reviewed by Arnold Bosman.
• Wilson, J. M. G., & Jungner, G. (1968). Principles and practice of screening for disease. World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/37650/17/WHO_PHP_34.pdf
• Andermann, A., Blancquaert, I., Beauchamp, S., & Déry, V. (2008). Revisiting Wilson and Jungner in the genomic age: a review of screening criteria over the past 40 years. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 86(4), 317-319. doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.050112
• European Commission. (2017). European guidelines for quality assurance in cervical cancer screening. Second edition summary document. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/publication/european-guidelines-quality-assurance-cervical-cancer-screening-second-edition-summary-document
• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). (2012). Public health benefits of partner notification for sexually transmitted infections and HIV. Retrieved from https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/media/en/publications/Publications/20121211_PD_partner_notification_STI_HIV.pdf

(this article was not part of the original FemWIKI 2017)