Search Resources (English): Medical screening

A primer for medical students looking at the pros and cons of screening, examining the ethical issues of overscreening and who profits from promoting the tests. From AFMC's Primer on Population Health.

This article shares the story of ultra sound technology and how it became a routine part of prenatal care. Provides information about what exactly ultra sound is and who benefits from this marketed technology. Explores social, ethical and legal issues. 

Summarizes the results of a study on the feasibility of integrating tobacco treatment and support within mental health, addictions and sexual violence services, in a gender informed way. The study included focus groups with service providers and with smokers, and a review of the literature on tobacco cessation in the mental health, substance use, and trauma treatment fields. Found that smokers who use mental health, substance use, and sexual violence services are generally knowledgeable about the harms of smoking, and the majority are interested in quitting.

Discusses the most common and recommended types of screening and weighs the pros and cons of each. Deals with questions such as: Do mammograms save lives? Is a colonoscopy necessary for everyone? Is it worth it to spend thousands of dollars for a whole-body scan? Also examines the roles of practitioners and drug companies in getting us to “test-early-and-test-often.”

Reviews and analyzes disease awareness campaigns sponsored by pharmaceutical companies that use self-diagnostic tools. Uses the example of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) to discuss how the marketing of self-diagnosis can change the patient into a consumer to achieve the aims of drug companies. (Abstract only)

A series of articles by the author of Seeking Sickness and co-author of Selling Sickness, examining the issues of unnecessary medical screening. Argues that pharmaceutical companies are driving the increased push for screening. 

Argues for more efforts to educate screening candidates about the harms and benefits of cancer screening in general, and to engage in shared (doctor and patient) decision making about taking the tests. (Abstract only.)