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Community Health
Screenings build awareness but have
limitations
Newswise — Consumers
who queue up for health screenings at the
mall, a senior center, a drug store or other
retail business could benefit from the
information they learn.
But screenings in
community settings have limitations.
Proponents of community-based screenings say
they can be lifesavers, detecting illnesses
such as heart disease or diabetes before
symptoms are evident. But critics caution
that at least some tests aren’t specific or
sensitive enough to benefit the general
public.
The September issue of
Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource covers the
benefits and limitations of these health
tests commonly offered in community
settings:
Blood and blood
pressure screenings: Tests to measure
cholesterol, blood glucose (to screen for
diabetes) and blood pressure are fairly
straightforward, pose little risk and can
help patients track these important aspects
of overall health.
Body fat measurement or
simple tests to measure fitness: These tests
can help determine overall fitness and
provide information indicating where more
exercise (and fewer calories) are needed.
Such tests are generally risk free and can
help patients make healthy lifestyle
choices.
Osteoporosis screening:
In a community setting, this test typically
measures bone density in the heel or wrist
bone. It may be useful in assessing the
future risk of fractures. An abnormal result
indicates the need for more testing,
typically a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
(DXA) scan, for more accurate risk
predictions.
Vascular ultrasound:
Ultrasound technology is used to evaluate
blood flow through major arteries and veins.
It can provide information about the
potential risk of stroke, an abdominal
aortic aneurysm or peripheral arterial
disease. These test results generally
require interpretation by a physician.
Heart scan (coronary
calcium scan): This computerized tomography
(CT) scan of the heart measures the amount
of calcium that may be affecting the heart.
Negative results indicate a low risk of
heart problems in the next five years. If
the results show calcium, the risk of future
heart attacks is related to the amount of
calcium found.
Full body scan: This
test involves taking a CT scan of the entire
body. It’s promoted as a screening tool for
multiple diseases, including heart disease
and various types of cancer. Results
typically require some degree of
interpretation.
With any screening,
accuracy is a consideration. Rarely is any
screening 100 percent accurate.
False-negatives and false-positives are
possible. A recent study looking at the cost
effectiveness of full body scans found that
more than 90 percent of people screened had
some type of positive finding indicating a
health problem. After further evaluation,
only 2 percent had disease.
Community screenings
are an excellent way to raise awareness
about common diseases and, in some
situations, identify disease in its early
stages. The benefit is realized when
patients take the next step, seeing their
physician for diagnosis and treatment.
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