What is a preventive health screening?

• A. A treatment given after a disease is diagnosed.
• B. A questionnaire about health habits.
• C. A type of emergency assessment.
• D. A test or exam used to detect a disease before symptoms appear.

Answer: (D)

Preventive health screening means using a test or exam on someone who doesn’t have symptoms in order to detect a disease early, before it causes noticeable problems. The idea is to find issues sooner so treatment can start sooner and outcomes can improve, often preventing complications down the line.

That’s why the description about a test or exam used to detect a disease before symptoms appear is the best fit. It captures the proactive, early-detection purpose of screening.

A treatment after diagnosis isn’t screening because it happens after a condition is already identified. A health habits questionnaire isn’t the core activity of screening, though forms can be used in some risk assessments. An emergency assessment isn’t screening either; screening is routine and preventative, not for urgent crises.