Under the Indian Government's National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), which age group is primarily targeted for screening?

1. A

   30-70 years

2. B

   18-30 years

3. C

   15-60 years

4. D

   45-80 years

Appeared in: NORCET 9 Prelims-2025

Explanation

Listen in Hindi

• The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) in India specifically targets individuals aged 30 years and above for population-based screening.
• This strategy focuses on the early detection and management of common NCDs like hypertension, diabetes, and cancers (oral, breast, and cervical).
• Targeting the 30-70 year age group is a key public health intervention to reduce the burden of chronic diseases by identifying them before major complications develop.
• Screening is conducted opportunistically when individuals visit a health facility and also through population-based initiatives by frontline health workers.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This age group is generally considered at a lower risk for the onset of the targeted chronic NCDs, so they are not the primary focus for population-based screening under this specific program.
• Option C: The official guidelines for the NP-NCD program mandate the start of screening at age 30. A lower limit of 15 is incorrect as it includes adolescents who have a very different risk profile.
• Option D: While this age group is at high risk, starting screening at 45 would miss the crucial 30-44 year period. Many individuals develop early-onset hypertension and diabetes in their 30s, and delaying screening would miss the opportunity for early intervention.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain National Health Programmes in India: NP-NCD as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• Nurses and Community Health Officers (CHOs) are pivotal in implementing the NP-NCD program by conducting screenings, managing patient records, providing health education, and ensuring referral and follow-up.
• Understanding the target age group (30-70 years) allows healthcare professionals to focus their community outreach and screening efforts effectively, optimizing resource use and maximizing public health impact.
• What if? If a 28-year-old patient with a high BMI and a strong family history of heart disease visits a clinic, the nurse should perform opportunistic screening for hypertension and diabetes, even though the patient is below the 30-year threshold for population-based screening. Clinical judgment based on risk factors is crucial.

How to Approach the Question

• Identify the question's core subject: the specific target age group for a major Indian national health program (NP-NCD).
• Recognize this as a factual recall question related to Community Health Nursing and national health policies.
• Analyze the options, which are all different age ranges.
• Recall that screening for chronic, lifestyle-related diseases typically begins in adulthood when risk starts to increase significantly. This makes the lower limits of 15 and 18 years less likely for a population-wide program.
• Compare the remaining options (30-70 vs. 45-80). Public health programs often emphasize early detection. Starting at 30 captures a wider at-risk population than starting at 45.
• Select the 30-70 years range as it aligns with the established principle of early screening for common NCDs in India.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: National Health Programmes in India: NP-NCD
• Stem keywords: National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, NP-NCD, age group, screening
• Lead-in keywords: primarily targeted

Question ID

QOmcxg17B8fTuNJP85l1Z9

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) pp. 160-162, 159-161

E6 Pharmacology KD Tripathi Essentials 9e Part 3 p. 218-220