Repeated multiphasic screening examinations: evaluating the process

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.