Repeated Multiphasic Screening Examinations: Evaluating the Process

Abstract:

There are sound clinical and epidemiological reasons to promote and emphasize early detection efforts and disease prevention services. A large body of scientific literature supports the notion that detection and intervention early in the course of many diseases is beneficial both to the afflicted individual and to society at large. Several publications deal with the evaluation of multiphasic screening examinations (MSE) as a tool for simultaneous early detection and prevention of multiple risk factors and various diseases. Usually, this technology is evaluated based on data from a single (cross-sectional) comprehensive screening study. However, frequently MSE are performed periodically, resulting in repeated test results of the same individuals. The health impact of such repeated (longitudinal) MSE has not been studied extensively. Similarly, many of the unique theoretical, technical, and epidemiological features characteristic of consecutive (periodical) comprehensive screening examinations are not well-documented. The purpose of this study was to compare the test results of two MSE, performed 3.5 years apart, in order to demonstrate certain characteristics of multiphasic health testing (MHT) technology related to repeated (longitudinal) multiphasic examination of the same individuals.

Key-words

Multiphasic Health Testing - Screening - Longitudinal Studies

• REFERENCES

• 1 Report of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: Guide to Clinical Preventive Services. Williams and Wilkins; 1989
• 2 Rose SD. The periodic health examination. Prim Care 1980; 07: 653-65.
• 3 Canadian Task Force on the periodic health examinations: The Periodic Health Examination. Canad Med Assoc J 1979; 121: 1193.
• 4 Millar DJ. The yield of new problems found during periodic health examinations of impoverished patients. Ohio State Med J 1985; 81: 660.
• 5 Rowe IL, Larsen LH. Evaluation of automated multiphasic health testing of referred patients by general practitioners. Med J Aust 1977; 02: 214-6.
• 6 Collen MF. ed. Multiphasic Health Testing Services. New York: John Wiley and Sons; 1978
• 7 Friedman GD, Collen MF, Fireman BH. Multiphasic health checkup evaluation: A 16-year follow-up. J Chron Dis 1986; 39: 453-63.
• 8 Ramcharan S, Cuther JL, Feldman R. et al. Multiphasic checkup evaluation study: 2. Disability and chronic disease after seven years of multiphasic health checkups. Prev Med 1973; 02: 207-20.
• 9 Kotchen JM, McKean HE, Kotchen TA. Blood pressure trends with aging. J Hypertension 1982; 04 (Suppl. 03) 128-34.
• 10 Oldham PO. A note on the analyses of repeated measurements of the same subjects. J Chron Dis 1962; 15: 969-77.