title: Changing disease patterns, shifting demographics: effects on laboratory services.
abstract: Laboratory services of the early 21st century will be heavily influenced by significant demographic redistributions and shifts in the incidence and prevalence of disease. A persistent influx of immigrants literally will change the face of the U.S. population. Persons born between 1946 and 1964 will reach middle and old age and will require testing for arthritis, diabetes, cardiac dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. Efforts to combat infertility will expand. Tuberculosis, wrongly assumed to be under control, will continue to proliferate. Testing will be needed for the millions of people living with AIDS and for the millions more infected or suspected to be infected with HIV. Cancer screening and information from genetic markers will widen. Public screenings will be routinely offered in assorted sites. As the national focus shifts from curing illness to promoting health, laboratory tests will assess healthy persons to a greater degree than ever.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ringel
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology