While screening aims for benefits, potential harms are significant and include: 1. Overdiagnosis: Detecting conditions that would never have caused symptoms or harm during a person's lifetime, leading to unnecessary investigations and treatments. 2. False positives: Can cause anxiety, further invasive tests, and financial burden. 3. False negatives: Can provide false reassurance, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. 4. Psychological distress: From false positives, uncertain diagnoses, or the knowledge of having a condition that may never progress. Reduced healthcare costs, decreased anxiety, and improved quality of life are potential benefits, not harms, and are not universally achieved for all participants.
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