HEALTH SCREENING CAN HELP WITH EARLY DETECTION OF DISEASES AND HEALTH RISKS

Health screening can identify if an individual has or may be likely to have a disease or condition, even if they are not displaying any symptoms, and may result in early detection and treatment for a condition, leading to better outcomes.

This month we take a closer look at health screening, exploring common screening types and the benefits and limitations of health screening.

What is health screening?

Health screening for the early detection of illness or disease is health checks, tests and examinations, that are undertaken without any clinical symptoms being present.

Focusing on preventive care, health screenings help medical practitioners identify diseases early, when they may be easier to treat. An individual’s applicability for screening will depend on various factors including:

Age
Sex
Family history
General health
Risk factors for a disease

Common conditions which may be identified through health screening include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid conditions and some cancers.

A negative result following a screening test means an individual is currently at low risk of having the condition they were screened for. A positive result means it is more likely an individual has the condition they have been tested for.

Generally, those who have received a positive result following screening, will be required to undergo further diagnostic testing and treatment if necessary.

DID YOU KNOW:

Some preventive health screenings have been found to significantly increase life expectancy