Primary Care Physicians’ Action Plans for Answering to Results of Screening Tests based on the Concept of Quaternary Prevention.

Bae, J. M., & Jamoulle, M. (October 2016). Primary Care Physicians’ Action Plans for Answering to Results of Screening Tests based on the Concept of Quaternary Prevention. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 49 (6), 343-348. doi:10.3961/jpmph.16.059

https://hdl.handle.net/2268/202673

[en] Since non-communicable disease (NCD) should be controllable rather than curable, more emphasis is placed on prevention, rather than on treatment. For early detection of diseases, a primary care physician (PCP) as well as general practitioner and family physician should interpret screening results accurately and provide screenees with appropriate information of prevention and treatment including potential harms. The concept of quaternary prevention (QP), which was introduced by Jamoulle and Roland in 1995 was applied to screening results. This article summarizes situations that PCPs encounter during screening tests according to the concept of QP, and suggests measures to face such different situations. Suggestions for screening tests customized to the characteristics of individuals are substituting suggestions for screening based on guidelines. Since there are some circumstances that screening tests should not be done, further studies based on the concept of prevention level proposed by Jamoulle and Roland are required to draw various and useful prevention strategies to prevent NCDs, including cancers. Thus, applying the concept of QP helps PCPs have better insights on screening tests for preventing NCD and also contributes to improve doctor-patient relationship by helping screenees understand medical uncertainties. Key