Screening Test
A screening test is a medical procedure or test performed on individuals who do not exhibit any symptoms of a particular disease, with the aim of identifying potential health disorders or diseases at an early stage. The goal of screening is to detect diseases in their earliest stages, when treatment is usually more successful, and to reduce morbidity or mortality from the disease. Screening tests are not used to diagnose a disease but to identify a subset of the population who should have additional testing to determine the presence or absence of the disease).
Screening tests are not 100% accurate, but they are valuable in detecting potential problems while minimizing unclear, ambiguous, or confusing results. It is generally more valuable to have the screening tests at the appropriate times, as recommended by healthcare providers, than to not have them at all. However, some screening tests, when used in people not at high risk for disease or for very rare diseases, can cause more problems than they help.
Common examples of screening tests include cholesterol measurements, mammograms for breast cancer, and colonoscopies for colorectal cancer. The appropriate timing and frequency of screening tests should be determined in consultation with a healthcare provider based on an individuals age, overall health, family health history, and personal health history.
