Health Medical Homework Help

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Disease Screenings

Ericka Echezarreta

  Disease screenings involve the application of medical tests or procedures to detect potential diseases or health disorders in healthy individuals who do not have any disease symptoms (Hopkins, 2021). The key purpose of disease screening is early detection and change of lifestyle to reduce the risk of particular diseases and health disorders or identify them early in order to provide effective treatment. There are various types of screening. Most of the tests have benefits; however, the benefit of some screening tests is not known.

As a nurse, I have performed several screening tests on different people. Some of the screening tests include cholesterol measurements, prostate specific antigen, prediabetes or diabetes, fecal occult blood test, mammography, pap test, and colonoscopy. Cholesterol screening is carried out using a blood test. A blood sample with high measurements of cholesterol shows that the person has a higher risk for heart disease. Cholesterol screening helps people lower their risk for cardiovascular disease by reducing their cholesterol (Hopkins, 2021). However, individuals can still have cardiovascular disease or heart disease with normal cholesterol levels.

Chronic diseases such as cancer are the primary cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide.Disease screenings are the most effective approach to lower the risk of acquiring a chronic disease. Nevertheless, most people do not take advantage of screening tests for chronic illness, particularly in rural areas. Routine disease screening is perceived to be one of the effective ways of minimizing healthcare costs related to chronic diseases. Preventative screenings can detect and prevent diseases in more treatable and earlier stages (Hopkins, 2021).

Some patients are apprehensive about getting screening for various diseases. I would respond to these patients by informing them of the benefits of screening tests. Disease screening is valuable because of its capability to detect potential health disorders or diseases while reducing confusing, unclear, and ambiguous outcomes. Even though disease screenings are not 100% correct or accurate in all instances, it is normally important to have such screenings because they can help prevent prospective diseases (Iragorri & Spackman, 2018). However, people should not mistake disease screening for disease prevention. Having regular disease screenings can help reduce the risk of getting certain chronic diseases but cannot prevent the diseases. A screening test can only be perceived as a preventive approach if it is intended to identify and treat abnormal transformations or detect and control risk factors that could later result in chronic disease. For instance, bowel endoscopy can be used to identify and destroy intestinal polyps, which could later result in cancer.

Disease screenings should be performed only for chronic diseases or those diseases with severe outcomes like heart failure (Iragorri & Spackman, 2018). However, having screenings for diseases with minor effects may not be beneficial. Also, the screening tests should be reliable and not harmful to the patients. There should be an effective cure for a particular disease when identified at an early stage and the treatment should be scientifically proven that it is effective when initiated prior to the symptoms developing.

According to WHO (World Health Organization), early detection of a disease is not beneficial if early treatment and diagnosis of the disease do not result in improved health results (Iragorri & Spackman, 2018). It would only make patients worry and have unnecessary longer treatment since earlier treatment does not benefit them. Therefore, I would advise people to get screened for particular diseases only if the available treatment is effective when initiated early prior to any symptoms appearing. Disease screenings can also distinctly benefit an individual. For instance, screenings can help people at a higher risk of acquiring a hereditary disease take specific measures or make certain decisions early.

References

Hopkins, J. (2021). Screening Tests for Common Diseases. Retrieved 25 August 2021, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/screening-tests-for-common-diseases (Links to an external site.).

Iragorri, N., & Spackman, E. (2018). Assessing the value of screening tools: reviewing the challenges and opportunities of cost-effectiveness analysis. Public health reviews, 39(1), 1-27.