Screeningului

Screening is the systematic process of identifying individuals in a population who may have a disease or condition despite the absence of symptoms. The goal is to enable early detection, prompt evaluation, and timely treatment to improve health outcomes. Screening differs from diagnostic testing: screening tests are applied to asymptomatic people, whereas diagnostics are used to confirm disease after a positive screen.

Programs may be population-based or opportunistic (case finding). Successful screening relies on valid tests, an appropriate target population, effective treatment, and proven benefit that justifies potential harms and costs. The classic framework is the Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening programs, updated over time to include considerations of equity and patient-centered aspects.

Common medical screenings include mammography for breast cancer, cervical cancer screening with Pap tests or HPV testing, colorectal cancer screening using fecal tests or endoscopy, and newborn screening for metabolic and genetic conditions. Other areas include screening in occupational health or infectious disease control, where asymptomatic individuals may be tested to prevent transmission.

Potential harms of screening include false positives and negatives, overdiagnosis, anxiety, unnecessary procedures, overtreatment, and resource use. Ethical and practical issues include informed consent, accessibility, and ensuring follow-up for positive results.

Screeningului is the Romanian noun form used in Romanian-language texts to refer to the concept of screening. As with any program, ongoing evaluation and quality assurance are essential to ensure net benefit and minimize harms.