Which of the following is an example of unnecessary screening?

• A. Mass screening for TB
• B. Hospital admission
• C. Pre-employment physicals
• D. Periodic health exams

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that screening should be used only when testing asymptomatic people provides a clear net benefit in doing so. Mass screening for tuberculosis in the general population does not meet that threshold in many settings: the disease prevalence is often too low, and the screening test can produce many false positives. Those false positives lead to unnecessary follow-up tests, anxious people, possible exposure to treatment side effects, and wasted resources, with little proven reduction in transmission or mortality. That combination—low yield plus potential harm and cost—makes it an example of unnecessary screening.

Hospitals admissions aren’t screening programs; they’re care processes that may include tests, but their purpose is to treat or admit a patient, not to screen asymptomatic people. Pre-employment physicals serve to assess fitness for a specific job and safety, which can be appropriate in many settings. Periodic health reviews can be justified in occupational health to monitor workers over time, even though routine general population exams in asymptomatic adults aren’t always recommended.