screenings

Screenings are procedures and events used to assess health, risk, or quality before a broader intervention, release, or deployment. They are typically applied to asymptomatic individuals or to materials and processes and are distinguished from diagnostic testing, which follows symptoms or definite indications. The goal is to identify issues early when management is more effective or to determine eligibility.

Medical screenings aim to detect disease in people without symptoms. Common examples include mammography for breast cancer, colorectal cancer screening with colonoscopy or stool tests, cervical cancer screening with cytology and HPV testing, and low-dose CT screening for lung cancer in high-risk groups. These programs rely on tests with known sensitivity and specificity, and results are influenced by disease prevalence and lead-time effects. A positive screen typically leads to confirmatory testing. While early detection can improve outcomes and reduce mortality, screening can cause harms from false positives, overdiagnosis, anxiety, and unnecessary procedures.

In film and media, screenings are early showings of a movie to selected audiences before public release. They include press screenings, industry screenings, test screenings, and festival screenings. The purpose is to obtain reactions, test pacing and story decisions, and inform marketing strategies. They may help determine edits and distribution plans, but feedback can be non-representative or biased, and spoilers or leaks pose risks.

Other uses include screening of materials or personnel for safety or regulatory compliance, such as drug testing in employment or quality screening in manufacturing.