PRINCIPLES OF SCREENING FOR CHltONIC DISEASES

Abstract

Screening is a form of prevention which usually applies
mainly in chronic diseases rathcr than in acute sickness.
Screening is aform of sccondary prcvcntion. not a primary
one. Primary prevention means avoiding the disease
altogether while screening for a disease assumes that the
disease is already therc and finding it early in a nonsymptomatic
state is better than when it is symptomatic. In
ordcr to havc a successful control. the disease must be
suitable and then you havc to havc a suitable test and the
programme must be appropriate.