What it means
A check done on people who seem healthy to catch disease or risk before it causes problems, when treatment works best. Examples are mammograms, colon cancer screening, blood pressure checks, Pap tests, newborn blood spot tests and depression questionnaires. A positive screen usually leads to a diagnostic testdy-ug-NOS-tik TESTA test that gives information to find or rule out a disease, or to see how a disease or treatment is going.Full entry to confirm.
For the nurse
Teach clients which screenings are due for their age and risk, and help them get them. Screening is a form of secondary prevention.
At a glance
| Spanish | detección, cribado |
|---|---|
| Also written | screenings, screened |
Related terms
health promotion
Helping people take actions that keep them well and improve their health.
diagnostic test
A test that gives information to find or rule out a disease, or to see how a disease or treatment is going.
risk assessment
A structured check of how likely a client is to suffer a certain harm, such as a fall, pressure injury or suicide.