Role of Screening for Diseases and Vaccination in Supporting Healthy Living

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Screening
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Institution

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Screening
Screening of diseases is an activity conducted on people so as to detect any potential
health diseases or disorders. The major goal of screening is to help prevent diseases or their
escalation through early interventions. Screening of diseases such as cancer is very crucial in
helping in early detection and diagnosis (Oeffinger et al., 2015). This paper therefore highlights
the role of screening for diseases such as breast and cervical cancers and how vaccination such as
MMR can support healthy living.
Role of screening for disease such as cervical cancer
Screening for diseases such as cervical cancer is very important in its prevention since it
rarely presents symptoms in early stages. Since the screening helps check on the health of the
cervix, it is the best way women can prevent themselves from cervical cancer. There are two
screening tests that can be conducted to help prevent the escalation of cancerous cells in the
cervix.
Pap test
Pap test is a procedure that is used to help identify if there are precancer cells within the
cervix. By collecting the cervical cells, this screening helps in detecting changes in the cervix
that suggest the development of cancer in future. This is very crucial in putting a halt to this
possible development as it increases the chances of cure. This test is done by inserting a
speculum into the vagina of a woman and spreading it open so as to give an access to the cervix.
The pap smear can help ensure a diagnosis of cervical cancer if cancerous cells have been
detected. People test is highly protective and has been associated with reduced mortality rates

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more so for people with advanced cervical cancer (Unim, Meggiolaro, Semyonov, Maffongelli,
& La Torre, 2014).
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV is very effective in detecting and treating the precursors of cervical cancer. This is
because it enhances the identification of women with adenocarcinoma and its precursors. HPV is
a sexually transmitted DNA with different genotypes that help in the spread of cancerous cells.
Early HPV infections can be detected by histology or cytology as it revolves around the
immunity of the host which reverts the normal cells to corresponding abnormalities. HPV
infections can be caused by hormones, genetic factors, immunosuppression, mutagens, increased
age, and inflammation. Conducting HPV test helps in offering a high degree of certainty. Since
anybody can get in from skin to skin contact of the genital areas, screening helps in detecting the
HPV cells before they spread to other body organs (Petry, Wörmann, & Schneider, 2014).
Role of screening for disease such as breast cancer
Breast cancer screening entails the procedures that are used to detect cancer in the breast
at early stages when it can be treated and cured. Breast cancer screening may detect cancerous
cells that are very small or slowly growing and may lead to death or illnesses. Breast cancer is a
disease in which malignant cells develop in the tissues of the breast. The screening is used to
determine the different types of breast cancer before they show signs and symptoms. The most
common type of screening used for detecting breast cancer is known as mammography, a
method used to determine if there are tumors in the breast (Liu et al., 2014). The role of
screening in breast cancer is also used to identify if the early detection has the ability to increase
the person’s chances of living longer as well as decreasing their chances of dying. Since the