Mass screening

About: Mass screening is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 34508 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1365148 citations.

Screening for obesity in adults: recommendations and rationale.

Abstract: This statement summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on screening for obesity in adults based on the USPSTF's examination of evidence specific to obesity and overweight in adults and updates the 1996 recommendations on this topic. The complete USPSTF recommendation and rationale statement on this topic, which includes a brief review of the supporting evidence, is available through the USPSTF Web site (http://www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov), the National Guideline Clearinghouse (http://www.guideline.gov), and in print through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Publications Clearinghouse (telephone, 800-358-9295; e-mail, ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov). The complete information on which this statement is based, including evidence tables and references, is available in the accompanying article in this issue and in the summary of the evidence and systematic evidence review on the Web sites already mentioned. The summary of the evidence is also available in print through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Publications Clearinghouse. *For a list of the members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, see the Appendix.

Recommendations on screening for breast cancer in average-risk women aged 40-74 years.

Abstract: Competing interests: Marcello Tonelli, Michel Joffres, James Dickinson, Harminder Singh, Gabriela Lewin and Richard Birtwhistle have received support for travel to meetings from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Gabriela Lewin is an employee of Kemptville District Hospital. No other competing interests were declared. This article has been peer reviewed. Contributors: All of the authors made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the article, the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data, drafted the article and revised it critically for important intellectual content and approved the final version submitted for publication. Funding: Funding for the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care is provided by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The views of the funding bodies have not influenced the content of the guideline; competing interests have been recorded and addressed. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not represent those of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Guidelines writing group: Marcello Tonelli, Sarah Connor Gorber, Michel Joffres, James Dickinson, Harminder Singh, Gabriela Lewin, Richard Birtwhistle. Systematic review writing group: Donna Fitzpatrick-Lewis, Nicole Hodgson, Donna Ciliska, Marcello Tonelli, Mary Gauld, Yan Yun Liu.

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms: single centre randomised controlled trial

Abstract: Objective To determine whether screening Danish men aged 65 or more for abdominal aortic aneurysms reduces mortality. Design Single centre randomised controlled trial. Setting All five hospitals in Viborg County, Denmark. Participants All 12 639 men born during 1921-33 and living in Viborg County. In 1994 we included men born 1921-9 (64-73 years). We also included men who became 65 during 1995-8. Interventions Men were randomised to the intervention group (screening by abdominal ultrasonography) or control group. Participants with an abdominal aortic aneurysm > 5 cm were referred for surgical evaluation, and those with smaller aneurysms were offered annual scans. Outcome measures Specific mortality due to abdominal aortic aneurysm, overall mortality, and number of planned and emergency operations for abdominal aortic aneurysms. Results 4860 of 6333 men were screened (attendance rate 76.6%). 191 (4.0% of those screened) had abdominal aortic aneurysms. The mean follow-up time was 52 months. The screened group underwent 75% (95% confidence interval 51% to 91%) fewer emergency operations than the control group. Deaths due to abdominal aortic aneurysms occurred in nine patients in the screened group and 27 in the control group. The number needed to screen to save one life was 352. Specific mortality was significantly reduced by 67% (29% to 84%). Mortality due to non-abdominal aortic aneurysms was non-significantly reduced by 8%. The benefits of screening may increase with time. Conclusion Mass screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in Danish men aged 65 or more reduces mortality.

Cancer information scanning and seeking behavior is associated with knowledge, lifestyle choices, and screening.

Abstract: Previous research on cancer information focused on active seeking, neglecting information gathered through routine media use or conversation ("scanning"). It is hypothesized that both scanning and active seeking influence knowledge, prevention, and screening decisions. This study uses Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS, 2003) data to describe cancer-related scanning and seeking behavior (SSB) and assess its relationship with knowledge, lifestyle behavior, and screening. Scanning was operationalized as the amount of attention paid to health topics, and seeking was defined as looking for cancer information in the past year. The resulting typology included 41% low-scan/no-seekers; 30% high-scan/no-seekers; 10% low-scan/seekers, and 19% high-scan/seekers. Both scanning and seeking were significantly associated with knowledge about cancer (B=.36; B=.34) and lifestyle choices that may prevent cancer (B=.15; B=.16) in multivariate analyses. Both scanning and seeking were associated with colonoscopy (OR = 1.38, for scanning and OR=1.44, for seeking) and with prostate cancer screening (OR=4.53, scanning; OR=10.01, seeking). Scanning was significantly associated with recent mammography (OR=1.46), but seeking was not. Individuals who scan or seek cancer information are those who acquire knowledge, adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, and get screened for cancer. Causal claims about these associations await further research.