Health screening tests are very important tools for health examination which is becoming popular in Korea. The purpose of this study is to assess the selection of health screening tests and to recommend the test items suitable for the health
examination
in Korea. We firstly selected the major target diseases of health examination according to the Annual report of the Cause of Death Statistics and Treatment Activity Report of Korea Medical Insurance corporation. Major target diseases were cancer,
cardiovascular diseases, chronic liver disease, tuberculosis, diabetes, anemia, syphilis, urologic disease, parasitic infestation, thyroiditis hearing or visual defect, congenital anomaly and poisoning. Health screening test items were selected
for
target diseases and by the usefulness of each test, and classified to A, B and C groups according to the nature of examined population. A group tests, which were used for mass screening examination, were height, weight, dental and physical
examination,
blood pressure, urinalysis (RBC, glucose, protein), Hb, WBC, ESR, liver function tests(ALT, alkaline phophatase, albumin, bilirubin), glucose, cholesterol, BUN, VDRL, HBsAg, HBsAg, HBsAb, chest X-ray, Pap smear, sight, hearing, stool parasite
test.
B
group tests, which were mainly used in periodic health examination for voluntary individuals with or without symptoms in addition to A group tests, were urinalysis(pH, ketone, urobilinogen, WBC, nitrite, specific gravity, bilirubin), CBC(RBC,
platelet,
Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC), protein, AST, gamma glutamyl transferase, tryglyceride, HDL cholesterol, creatinine, uric acid, calcium, phosphorus, thyroxine, CRP, anti-HCV, EKG, Upper GI study or gastroscopy, abdominal sonography, breast palpation,
mammography,
ocular pressure, and stool occult blood test. C group tests, which were used mainly for the further analysis and for the high risk individuals, were urine sediment test, WBC differential count, RA factor, anti-HIV, AFP, CEA, and blood grouping.
Selection and recommendation of health screening tests should be continuously changed by the changing patterns of diseases and socioeconomic status. We propose to establish Committee on the Korean Preventive Service Task Forces which will
continously
reassess and recommend the test items most suitable for the health examination in Korea.
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