lecture 4- Screening and Diagnostic Tests-Part 1

Question 1

diagnostic

Answer 1

used to find out if someone has or doesn’t have disease if someone shows signs

Question 2

screening

Answer 2

used to I.D asymptomatic people who may have disease

Question 3

When is it best to use a screen test for a disease?

Answer 3

• if disease is prevalent
• has long pre-clinical phase
• has effective treatment

Question 4

How should screening tests be designed/what factors go into screening tests?

Answer 4

• needs to be nonhazardous and can’t be uncomfortable
• good sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values
• economical
• examples: mammogram, pap smear , fecal occult blood

Question 5

UPSTF

Answer 5

U.S. Preventative Services task force

• panel of non-Fed experts, include: nurses, physicians, internists, ob/gyn…
• serve four year term
• develop recommendations for primary care clinicians and health systems
• appointed by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Question 6

Sensitivity

Answer 6

ability of test to identify correctly those who have the disease
–> proportion of those who are positives: TP/TP+FN

Question 7

Specificity

Answer 7

ability of a test to correctly identify those who don’t have the disease
–> proportion of true negatives: TN/TN+FP