Overview

This policy brief addresses the concept of screening in health care, namely actively seeking to identify a disease or pre-disease condition in individuals who are presumed and presume themselves to be healthy. It covers the historical background to screening and definitions; criteria for screening, evaluation, and the benefits and disadvantages; and key issues that are relevant at all stages and to every type of screening in any country. Examples are from the United States, the United Kingdom and other European Union Member States.