Screening: Wilson & Junger Criteria

Question 1

What are the Wilson and Junger Criteria for the ideal screening test?

Answer 1

1. The condition should be an important public health problem
2. There should be an acceptable treatment for patients with recognised disease
3. Facilities for diagnosis and treatment should be available
4. There should be a recognised latent or early symptomatic stage
5. The natural history of the condition, including its development from latent to declared disease should be adequately understood
6. There should be a suitable test or examination
7. The test or examination should be acceptable to the population
8. There should be agreed policy on whom to treat
9. The cost of case-finding (including diagnosis and subsequent treatment of patients) should be economically balanced in relation to the possible expenditure as a whole
10. Case-finding should be a continuous process and not a ‘once and for all’ project