In Slovenia, opportunistic screening was introduced in regular gynaecological practice in 1960. The proportion of population screened was unknown, as well as there were no standards for quality assurance and control. Despite great number of smears read, there were no major changes in invasive cervical cancer incidence in the period 1979 till 1993, but in 1994 the incidence rate started to incre...

BACKGROUND After the implementation of a population-based programme of chest x-ray (CXR) screening on smokers in Varese, Italy, lung cancer (LC) mortality was significantly reduced. Analysis of the incremental costs due to this type of screening programme is needed to evaluate its economic impact on the healthcare system. METHODS In July 1997 a population-based cohort, consisting of all high-...

Background Over the past few decades diabetes has emerged as an important non-communicable disease in SubSaharan Africa (SSA). Sight loss from Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) can be prevented with screening and early treatment. The objective of this paper is to outline the required actions and considerations in the planning and development of DR screening services.   Methods A multiple-case study app...

BACKGROUND A neonatal haemoglobinopathy screening programme was implemented in Brussels more than a decade ago and in Liège 5 years ago; the programme was adapted to the local situation. METHODS Neonatal screening for haemoglobinopathies was universal, performed using liquid cord blood and an isoelectric focusing technique. All samples with abnormalities underwent confirmatory testing. Major ...

OBJECTIVE To carry out a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of screening methods for urinary schistosomiasis; terminal haematuria, unqualified haematuria, dysuria, visual urine examination and chemical reagent strip technique, in a school-based control programme. DESIGN Estimation of costs and determination of cost-effect ratios of the screening methods applied in a school-based screenin...

Geir Hoff Telemark Hospital Trust and Cancer Registry of Norway and University of Oslo Colorectal cancer is a major health issue, both globally and in Norway. Bowel cancer screening is perhaps the most effective method to mitigate the consequences of the disease for patients and society. Largescale randomised trials show that screening with sigmoidoscopy and faecal occult blood tests reduce col...

Diabetes mellitus has become a global epidemic. It causes significant macrovascular complications such as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and stroke; as well as microvascular complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy. Diabetic retinopathy is known to be the leading cause of blindness in the working-age population and may be asymptomatic until vision loss...

OBJECTIVE  To determine the accuracy of non-invasive fetal testing for the RHD gene in week 27 of pregnancy as part of an antenatal screening programme to restrict anti-D immunoglobulin use to women carrying a child positive for RHD DESIGN:  Prospectively monitoring of fetal RHD testing accuracy compared with serological cord blood typing on introduction of the test. Fetal RHD testing was perfo...

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate that an effective cervical cancer screening programme based on the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear can be organized in a middle-income country, such as Chile. METHODS The cervical cytology screening programme in Chile is evaluated by comparing process measures and cervical cancer mortality before and after its reorganization in 1987. FINDINGS Two decades of opportunistic a...