NEET PG High-Yield: Screening for Disease
Screening is the search for unrecognized disease in asymptomatic populations by means of tests, examinations, or other procedures.
Criteria for Screening (Wilson & Jungner)
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Disease | Important health problem, recognizable latent/early stage, and natural history understood. |
| Test | Simple, safe, acceptable, valid, reliable, inexpensive, high sensitivity/specificity. |
| Treatment | Available/effective treatment, agreed-upon policy for whom to treat. |
High-Yield NEET PG Pearls:
- Validity: Ability of a test to measure what it is supposed to measure (Sensitivity/Specificity).
- Reliability (Precision): Ability of a test to give consistent results on repeated application.
- Yield: The amount of previously unrecognized disease that is diagnosed and brought to treatment as a result of screening.
- Lead Time: The time interval between the detection of a disease by screening and the time when it would have been diagnosed clinically.