[Sampling and conveyance of mail testing]

Abstract

In mail testing, a testee collects samples at home from his or her own body, and mails them to the medical institution. Because the testee does not need to attend the medical institution, an advantage of mail testing is that it is not time-consuming. Because the amount of sample is small and time from sampling to measurement is long, the manner of collecting and transporting samples are important factors affecting the precision of the result. There is the risk that inappropriate sample picking can occur, as the testee, who is not skilled in medical testing, may obtain the sample. Moreover, the samples may include blood, urine, secretions, and so on. Depending on the purpose of the test, the transport and sampling method varies, and the character of the sampling device and transport method influence the procedure required. I describe collection methods and other issues in this paper according to medical examination item, sample, and sampling.