U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

An independent panel of experts in the United States that makes evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is an independent panel of national experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine. The Task Force makes recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screening tests, counseling services, and preventive medications. These recommendations are intended to help primary care clinicians and patients decide together whether a preventive service is right for a patient's needs.

History

The USPSTF was created in 1984 as a result of the growing recognition of the importance of preventive care in improving health outcomes. It was established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide evidence-based recommendations on preventive services.

Structure and Function

The USPSTF is composed of volunteer members who are experts in prevention, evidence-based medicine, and primary care. Members include physicians, nurses, and health behavior specialists. The Task Force is supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which provides administrative, research, and technical support.

The USPSTF evaluates the benefits and harms of preventive services by reviewing existing peer-reviewed evidence. It assigns each service a letter grade (A, B, C, D, or I) based on the strength of the evidence and the balance of benefits and harms:

• A: The USPSTF recommends the service. There is high certainty that the net benefit is substantial.
• B: The USPSTF recommends the service. There is high certainty that the net benefit is moderate or there is moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial.
• C: The USPSTF recommends selectively offering or providing this service to individual patients based on professional judgment and patient preferences. There is at least moderate certainty that the net benefit is small.
• D: The USPSTF recommends against the service. There is moderate or high certainty that the service has no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits.
• I: The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the service.

Key Recommendations

The USPSTF has made numerous recommendations on a wide range of preventive services. Some key recommendations include:

• Breast cancer screening: The USPSTF recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years (Grade B).
• Colorectal cancer screening: The USPSTF recommends screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 45 years and continuing until age 75 years (Grade A).
• Hypertension screening: The USPSTF recommends screening for high blood pressure in adults aged 18 years or older (Grade A).
• Tobacco smoking cessation: The USPSTF recommends that clinicians ask all adults about tobacco use, advise them to stop using tobacco, and provide behavioral interventions and FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for cessation to adults who use tobacco (Grade A).

Impact and Criticism

The recommendations of the USPSTF are highly influential and often guide clinical practice and health policy in the United States. However, the Task Force has faced criticism for some of its recommendations, particularly when they differ from those of other professional organizations. Critics argue that the USPSTF's strict reliance on evidence can sometimes lead to recommendations that are too conservative or do not account for individual patient circumstances.

Also see

• Preventive healthcare
• Evidence-based medicine
• Screening (medicine)
• Public health