Treatment Thresholds Flashcards
T/F: Every treatment has harms and benefits
True
What happens if the probability of disease is below the treatment threshold?
- further testing is needed to move past the threshold
- “test” zone
- differentials in this zone are often called “active alternatives”
What are differentials below the treatment threshold but above the trash threshold called?
active alternatives
What is above the treatment threshold?
“treat”
(probability of condition)
What happens if the probability of disease is above treatment threshold?
- consider treatment with that particular treatment
- “treat” zone
- diagnosis here is often called “working diagnosis”
What is the diagnosis called when it is above treatment threshold?
working diagnosis
What is “treatment” in a broad sense?
could be referral, education, medicine
T/F: You can have both an active alternative and a working diagnosis.
True
Is determining a treatment threshold subjective or objective?
subjective
What are factors determining where a treatment threshold is?
- the conditions: harms of leaving condition untreated
- the test: accuracy, harms of testing
- the treatment: benefits of treatment, harms of treatment
What are harms of a treatment?
financial, time spent, side effects, patient values, preferences etc.
What happens to the treatment zone if
- lower harms of leaving condition untreated
- more favourable balance of test harm relative to information benefit
- less favourable balance of treatment harm relative to benefit?
treatment zone shrinks (test zone expands)
What happens to the treatment zone if:
- higher harms of leaving condition untreated
- less favourable balance of test harm to information benefit
- more favourable balance of treatment harm to benefit?
treatment zone expands (test zone shrinks)
