Table 2.

Preconditions to be met before initiative a screening program (Woolf, Jonas & Kpalan-Liss, 2008; Markle-Reid, Keller & Browne, 2010; Frankish, Lovato, & Poureslami, 2007; Pacala 2010).

Preconditions
The target condition
The condition must be important based on prevalence and incidence rates in the segment of the population targeted
The burden of illness must be substantial in that the consequences of the condition must be serious for the individual, family members, and/or society
The natural history of the target condition must be such that adequate time is available for successful interventions to be instituted and to succeed
Available Interventions
Available interventions should be effective and tailored such that they are proven to improve function, quality of life, and quality of care.
Available interventions should be accessible, beneficial, acceptable, culturally relevant, and the community must have the capacity to absorb referrals
The likelihood that the target population will comply with and benefit from the outcome of the intervention recommended should be high
The screening protocol
Must be acceptable to the health care provider performing the screen
Should be sustainable with effectiveness demonstrated through randomized trials
Must include referral to community agencies and health care providers with the necessary manpower to provide follow up services to insure that identified needs are met
Should include culturally appropriate evidence based compliance improving strategies
Should be inexpensive, brief, easy to administer, reliable, acceptable, sensitive, specific, ethical so that there is no risk of physical harm to the patient, appropriate for the segment of the population being targeted
Include a systems based approach involving information technology, evidence based guidelines, community involvement and incentives for preventive care