Non-clinical sciences/Stats & evidence · Screening & public healthlow yield

Wilson–Jungner screening criteria

What it means

Conditions for a worthwhile screening programme: important condition; understood natural history with a recognisable latent/early stage; a suitable, acceptable test; an accepted, effective treatment with facilities; agreed policy on who to treat; cost-effective; and a continuous (not one-off) process.

Worked example

Used to judge whether to screen (e.g. why we screen for cervical/AAA but not for many rare cancers).

In the exam

A committee weighs whether a new screening programme is justified — the condition's importance, a detectable early stage, an acceptable test, and an effective treatment.

What settles it

Wilson–Jungner judges WHETHER to screen; sensitivity/specificity judge how WELL a given test performs.

Classically confused with

Sensitivity

Source: WHO (Wilson & Jungner) 1968