Search Resources (English): Overscreening

An environmental scan on physical activity for marginalized women in BC. The aim of the scan was to learn more about the current context for and activities being facilitated to promote physical activity for marginalized women at provincial and local levels in BC.

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.”

A ten-part online series that outlines the growing problem of overdiagnosis and overuse of medical screening tests.

Discusses how whole body screening (e.g. Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology or Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans) is promoted to healthy people as preventative health care, while the evidence shows it offers no proven health benefits and exposes people to unnecessary health risks.

The website of a group of doctors in Britain concerned about the safety and the ethics of private screening tests, and about companies who advertise those tests. Includes resources to help people decide whether or not to take a screening test.

A factsheet about when it is useful to have a bone density test and when it is not appropriate – and possibly harmful – to have these tests done.