BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS OF HEALTH SCREENING

The benefits of having a screening test include:

The limitations of health screening include:

False positives, where an individual is incorrectly identified as having a condition, leading to unnecessary tests and treatment
False negatives, where a condition is not recognised, resulting in an inclination to ignore symptoms
Early identification of a disease may not always lead to an improved health outcome, and may result in worry and anxiety
A negative screening result does not mean that the condition will not develop in the future