Health screening and surveillance

Introduction

Health surveillance is a public health methodology, which aims to detect undesired health effects in a given population; with the primary aim to eliminate the source of the problem. Its tools range from medical screening tests to follow-up and register analysis. Individuals benefit from screening tests (i.e., early discovery of a disorder that leads to better health outcome), or from the identification of adverse effects caused by the (working) environment. Health screening and surveillance of workers varies substantially between EU Member States and are subject to European and national laws and guidelines.

Definitions

The distinction…