[The french school of public health (FSPH): III. Disease prevention and screening].
The ongoing epidemiological transition is characterized by the increasing predominance of degenerative diseases. New responses from the health system are thus needed, reorganizing curative services as well as preventive strategies. The latter have to target risk factors for degenerative disease in order to improve primary prevention. And for all other diseases with unknown or non-modifiable risk factors, screening (or secondary prevention) is an option to be considered as a public health response. Early diagnosis and early treatment can improve the prognosis of patients screened in defined conditions. Although medical screening is generally well accepted by health professionals, screening is rather sophisticated and encounters substantial difficulties when implemented in the real world. This article briefly presents the main theoretical and practical drawbacks of early diagnosis. Screening will substantially improve health if the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals are substantially increased.
Paccaud
Fred
F
Epidémiologie et Santé publique, Directeur Institut universitaire de médecine sociale et preventive (IUMSP), Faculté de biologie et de médecine, Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois, Lausanne.
D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends*; D012581:Schools, Public Health