title: [Screening and prevention in the elderly: which interventions should be proposed, to whom, and up to what age?].
abstract: Recommendations on preventive services rarely mention how to apply them to older people. Even though general criteria (prevalence of disease, quality of screening tests) that influence screening's efficacy remain important, appropriateness of screening in older persons depends much more on individual criteria, such as comorbidity, functional status, and life expectancy. More than with any other age group, patients preferences regarding future investigation and treatment guide the clinical decision. This article focuses on primary and secondary prevention, and discusses specific criteria to consider in each patient. A table summarizes the appropriate recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Division de Gériatrie et Réadaptation Gériatrique, CUTR Sylvana, CHUV, Institut Universitaire de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Lausanne.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Seematter-Bagnoud
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornuz
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Büla
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011315:Preventive Medicine