Diseases change the life of individuals, the social status of groups, the obligations of professionals, and the welfare of nations. Disease classifications function as a demarcation of access to care, rights, and duties. ...

Epidemiologic studies of overdiagnosis are challenged by unclear definitions and the absence of unified measures. This spurs great controversies. Etymologically, overdiagnosis means too much diagnosis and stems from the ...

Modern health care faces an ever widening gap between technological possibilities and available resources. To handle this challenge we have constructed elaborate systems for health policy making and priority setting. Despite ...

Root-filled teeth presenting with signs of post-treatment disease is a common finding in virtually every dental practice. There is both empirical and experimental evidence that, as long as the condition is asymptomatic, ...

Abstract Objective Significant geographical variations in the use of diagnostic imaging have been demonstrated in Norway and elsewhere. Non-traumatic musculoskeletal conditions is one area where this has been demonstrated. ...

Is disease demotion more important than health promotion? The question is crucial for the ethos of medicine and for priority setting in healthcare. When things get tough, where should our attention and resources go: to ...

Background One kind of overutilization of diagnostic imaging is low-value imaging, i.e., imaging that does not lead to altered clinical pathways or improved health outcomes. Despite having well-documented extension and ...

Health technology assessment (HTA) is an evaluation of health technologies in terms of facts and evidence. However, the relationship between facts and values is still not clear in HTA. This is problematic in an era of “fake ...

The expansion of the concept of disease poses problems for epidemiology. Certainly, new diseases are discovered and more people are treated earlier and better. However, the historically unprecedented expansion is criticised ...