Screening in Disease Prevention: what works?

Screening for disease has become a widely accepted concept in health care. Screening in Disease Prevention takes a critical look at the practice of screening throughout the various stages of life.

The book highlights three current challenges: the increasing consumer, media and commercial focus on health in general and screening in particular; providing accurate and understandable information; and tackling the continuing variation in the uptake of screening between different areas of the country and different socio-economic groups.

Screening in Disease Prevention is important reading for public health professionals, particularly those involved in screening programmes. Policy makers and shapers, medical researchers, pressure groups and support organisations for people with screenable conditions will also find it a valuable reference.

Contents:

+ Historical background, current definitions and criteria
+ Key issues in screening - genetics, information and economics, ethics and audit
+ Antenatal and neonatal screening
+ Screening and surveillance in childhood and adolescence, adults, and the elderly
+ Screening practices in Europe
+ Overview and recommendations