Health screening for older people—what are the current recommendations?

The world population of older people is on the rise with improved health services. With longevity, older people are at increased risk of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are also leading causes of death among older people. Screening through case finding in primary care would allow early identification of NCDs and its risk factors, which could lead to the reduction of related complications as well as mortality. However, direct evidence for screening older people is lacking and the decision to screen for diseases should be made based on comorbidity, functional status and life expectancy, and has to be individualised.