Health Screening
What is a health screening?
A health screening is a medical exam or test performed to detect early signs of health problems or disease in individuals who may not yet have symptoms.
Health screenings may be recommended as part of routine preventive care based on a person's age or gender or as a response to specific health concerns or risk factors.
Some conditions commonly screened for include:
- Colorectal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Prostate cancer
- Osteoporosis
- Obesity
Health screenings can involve a variety of tests, including blood tests, urine tests, physical exams, and imaging tests such as X-rays or ultrasounds. Depending on the specific screening, the tests may be used to identify risk factors for certain diseases.
Why are health screenings important for healthcare?
Health screenings are crucial tools that allow healthcare providers to detect diseases before patients have symptoms and when diseases are often easier to treat. Early disease detection thus increases the odds of successful treatment and survival. This results in better patient outcomes.
The results of a health screening can also help individuals make informed decisions about their health and wellness, including lifestyle changes to prevent future problems from occurring.