Predijagnosticiranje – novi fenomen moderne medicine - Pretražujemo li i liječimo i onda kad ne treba

Lidija Gajski - Pregledni rad

Overdiagnosis – a New Phenomenon of Modern Medicine

Sažetak
O predijagnosticiranju govorimo kad se ljudima bez ikakvih ili bez većih tegoba dijagnosticira »poremećaj«, premda im on neće stvoriti nikakve smetnje niti će od njega ranije umrijeti. Riječ je o fenomenu suvremene medicine koji je prepoznat u zadnjih nekoliko godina i koji postaje važna tema rasprave u medicinskom, ali i u društveno-humanističkom krugu.
Predijagnosticiranje se očituje na raznim područjima medicine; najvidljivije je u vezi s probirom, preventivnim pregledima i slikovnim dijagnostičkim pretragama. Značenje mu je da vodi suvišnim medikamentnim, kirurškim i drugim terapijskim zahvatima. Zbog rastućih razmjera i štetnih zdravstvenih, ekonomskih, psiholoških i socio-kulturnih posljedica, nalaže kritičku analizu i razmatranje.

Abstract
Overdiagnosis occurs when people without symptoms are diagnosed with a “disease” that ultimately will not cause them to experience difficulties or early death. It is a phenomenon of modern medicine which has been recognized recently and has become an important debate topic within the medical field, as well as within areas of the social sciences and humanities.
Overdiagnosis happens in the various fields of medicine, most often resulting from screening and other preventive programs, as well as from use of increasingly sensitive diagnostic technologies. The significance of overdiagnosis is in that it leads to unnecessary pharmacological, surgical and other therapeutic interventions. In the context of its negative health-related, psychological, economic and cultural effects, it is essential to articulate its nature and extent.