Which of the following is primarily used to identify disease in a population without symptoms?

• A. Mass screening.
• B. Case finding.
• C. Contact tracing.
• D. Surveillance.

Answer: (A)

Screening asymptomatic individuals to identify disease relies on offering tests to people who appear healthy in the general population. Mass screening is the broad approach that tests a wide group regardless of symptoms or risk, aiming to detect disease early so treatment can begin sooner and outcomes improve. This differs from case finding, which targets testing to individuals who already show signs or have known risk factors; contact tracing, which follows links between cases to stop transmission; and surveillance, which collects and analyzes data on disease patterns rather than testing individuals for disease. Therefore, identifying disease in a population without symptoms is best described by mass screening.