The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force) has released its “Seventh Annual Report to Congress on High-Priority Evidence Gaps for Clinical Preventive Services.”
In this annual report, the USPSTF identified five recent topics for which the current evidence was insufficient for the Task Force to make a recommendation (also known as “I statements”):
- Screening for Celiac Disease
- Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults
- Screening for Gynecologic Conditions With Pelvic Examination
- Vision Screening in Children Younger Than Age 3 Years
- Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults Age 76 Years and Older
The USPSTF also identified evidence gaps that prevent it from making recommendations for specific racial/ethnic populations and age groups. These gaps include:
- Screening for Breast Cancer in African American Women
- Screening for Prostate Cancer in African American Men
- Screening for Illicit Drug Use in Children and Adolescents
- Screening for Hearing Loss in Older Adults
Future research in these areas can help fill these gaps and could result in important new recommendations that will help to improve the health of Americans.
Please click here to read the complete USPSTF report.
