Which is a feasibility consideration in screening?

• A. Willingness of the population to submit to screening
• B. Availability of a test
• C. High disease prevalence
• D. Perfect test accuracy

Answer: (A)

Feasibility in screening is about whether the program can actually be carried out in the real world, which starts with whether people are willing to undergo screening. If the target population isn’t willing to submit to screening, participation and coverage will be too low to make the program effective, no matter how good the test or how much it costs. Acceptability and willingness determine uptake, which is the heart of feasibility.

Having a test available is important for practicality, but feasibility isn’t defined by tool availability alone—there must also be people who agree to be screened and a system to deliver the test. High disease prevalence influences the potential yield and resource needs but doesn’t by itself decide whether screening can be feasibly offered. Perfect test accuracy is an ideal rarely met in practice and, while desirable, doesn’t capture the real-world feasibility of implementing a screening program.