Health screening involves using tests, exams, or other procedures to detect diseases in asymptomatic individuals. It aims to identify diseases early so treatment can begin sooner, outcomes can be better managed, and mortality and suffering can be reduced. Screening tests differ from diagnostic tests in that screening examines large groups of generally healthy people, uses less accurate but less expensive tests, and results are not conclusive. Common screening tests include growth charts, blood tests, blood pressure checks, and cancer screenings. Health screening can detect conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.

1. TOPIC 8
HEALTH SCREENING
HC1023 INTRODUCTION TO HEALTHCARE
CERTIFICATES IN HEALTH SCIENCE
MDM SITI BAINUN BINTI MOHD DALI

2. LEARNING OUTCOME

3. HEALTH SCREENING
• Is a screening used in a population to detect a disease in
individuals without signs or symptoms of that disease
• It involves the use of tests, physical examinations or other
procedures to detect disease early in people who look or feel
well.
• This is different from diagnostic tests which are done when
someone is already showing signs and/or symptoms of a disease

4. DEFINITION
• Screening refers to examination of a group of usually
asymptomatic individuals to detect those with a high probability
of having a given disease, typically by means of an inexpensive
diagnostic test
• Monitoring refers to act of observation and in some cases
intervention generally referring to monitoring of a condition after
diagnosis to assess and improve outcome
• Health screening service are the service provided by the
healthcare professionals to screen the health status of individuals
with or without positive sign and symptoms

5. PURPOSE OF HEALTH SCREENING
1. Early detection: to identify disease in a community
early, thus enabling earlier intervention
2. Early intervention: earlier treatment
3. Better management and outcomes: good control of
the condition can result in better outcomes
4. Reduce mortality and suffers:
• Lower the level of suffers from a disease
• Lower the risk of serious complication

6. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SCREENING AND
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
SCREENING DIAGNOSTIC
Asymptomatic Suggestive clinical picture
Large group Single subject
Less accurate Accurate
Not conclusive Conclusive
Less expensive Expensive
Not basic for treatment Basic to treatment

7. EXAMPLES FOR SCREENING TESTS
INFANCY PREGNANCY ELDERLY ADULT
Growth charts Weight Cancers Lipid profile
Metabolic
screening
Full Blood Count Depression Blood pressure
Hearing test Blood sugar
Vitamin
deficiencies
BMI

8. PRINCIPLE OF SCREENING
World Health Organization
1. The condition should be an important health
problem
2. There should be a treatment for the condition
3. Facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be
available
4. There should be a latent stage of the disease
5. There should be a test or examination for the
condition

9. 6. The test should be acceptable to the population
7. The natural history of the disease should be
adequately understood
8. There should be an agreed policy on whom to treat
9. The total cost of finding a case should be
economically balanced in relation to medical
expenditure as a whole
10.Case-finding should be a continuous process, not
just a “once and for all” project

10. DISADVANTAGES OF SCREENING
• Test used in screening are not perfect
• Test result may incorrectly show positive for those without disease (FALSE
POSITIVE), or negative for people who have the condition (FALSE
NEGATIVE).
• A false sense of security caused by false negatives, which may delay final
diagnostic
• Unnecessary investigation and treatment of false positive result
• Stress and anxiety caused by prolonging knowledge of an illness without
any improvement in outcome
• Adverse effect of screening procedures (eg: stress and anxiety, discomfort,
radiation exposure, chemical exposure)
• Screening involves cost and use of medical resources on a majority of
people who do not need treatment

11. CATEGORIES OF HEALTH SCREENING TEST
1. Non invasive
•The body is not entered with any type of
instrument: the skin and any other body tissue,
organs, and cavities remain intact
2. Invasive
•The body’s tissue, organs or cavities are accessed
through some type of instrument

12. TYPES HEALTH SCREENING TEST
1. Laboratory test
2. Radiological studies
3. Endoscopy
4. Electro studies

13. Laboratory Test
• Measurement of the specimen to determine the
amount of analytes
• A sample used for analysis and diagnosis are sputum,
tissue, blood, urine and stool.

14. Radiological Studies
• A variety of imaging techniques such as X-ray
radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT),
nuclear medicine including positron emission
tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) are used to diagnose or treat disease.

15. Endoscopy
• Endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure used to examine a
person’s digestive tract. Using an endoscope, a flexible tube
with a light and camera attached to it, your doctor can view
a pictures of your digestive tract on a colour tv monitor.

16. Electro Studies
• An electrophysiology (EP) study is a
test performed to assess your heart
electrical system or activity and is
used to diagnose abnormal
heartbeat or arrythmia. The test is
performed by inserting catheters
and then wire electrodes, which
measure electrical activity, through
blood vessels that enter the heart.

17. CLASSIFICATION OF HEALTH SCREEN
•Standard Health Screen
•Premium Health Screen
•Executive Health Screen

21. MEDICAL CONDITION CAN BE DETECTED BY
HEALTH SCREENING
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Osteoporosis
• Overweight and obesity
• Prostate cancer in men
• Colorectal cancer
• Breast cancer and cervical cancer

22. FACTORS THAT DETERMINE HEALTH
SCREENING
• Age
• Sex
• Family history
• Life style
• High risk factors for certain disease such as cancer

25. THANK YOU!