Detection is not as harmful as it might seem

doi:10.1136/bmj.39563.455926.80

BMJ 2008;336:973-974 (3 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.39563.455926.80

Letters

Screening for aortic aneurysm

Detection is not as harmful as it might seem

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Johnson argues that screening for abdominal aortic aneurysmmay cause psychological harm by alerting people that they havea condition that nothing can be done about but that can causesudden death.¹ This notion is contradicted by a large literatureon how people respond to aneurysm screening² and other healthrisk information.³ It is also at odds with psychological theoriesof self regulation, which describe the complex ways that humansmaintain equilibrium while responding to all sorts of threats.

Anxiety is a common and adaptive initial response to risk notification,but it usually dissipates within a month.³ Pretest preparationcan mitigate anxiety, but there is no evidence to support thestatement that "any member of the public taking the test willneed intensive counselling about the possible consequences thatscreening might have for their future lives and psychologicalwellbeing."¹ The way people think and feel before screeningseems to be . . . [Full text of this article]