Screeningmetod

Screeningmetod refers to a systematic procedure used to identify individuals or items that may possess a particular condition or trait, typically before symptoms are evident or to prioritize further assessment. The aim is to classify subjects into a likely positive or negative category to guide subsequent diagnostic testing or preventive actions. No single method is universally applicable; effectiveness depends on test characteristics, disease prevalence, and the balance between benefits and harms.

Important properties of a screening method include sensitivity (ability to detect true cases) and specificity (ability to exclude non-cases). Positive predictive value and false-positive rates depend on the prevalence in the screened population. Practical considerations include cost, feasibility, accessibility, and acceptability to those screened. Ethical issues such as informed consent and potential anxiety or stigma are also considered in program design.

Screening methods are used in public health (population screening programs like newborn screening and cancer screening), occupational health, travel and border control, and increasingly in digital contexts (e.g., spam filtering or fraud detection). They may involve questionnaires, laboratory assays, imaging, or genetic tests, and are often followed by diagnostic confirmation for those with positive results.

In evaluating a screening program, stakeholders assess net benefit, harms, lead-time and length-time bias, and resource implications. Limitations include overdiagnosis, false reassurance from negative results, and the potential for unequal access. Regular review and update of criteria, intervals, and target populations are common practice.

See also: screening program, diagnostic test, triage. Note: the term screeningmetod is commonly used in Swedish and Norwegian contexts to denote the method itself.