Screening

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Step 6: Discussion Questions

 

Carefully consider the following questions. Write down your answers and be prepared to discuss them during the seminar section.
  1. You have probably had the experience of being screened many times (e.g., cholesterol test, glucose level test, blood pressure measurement).  What is more important information from a PATIENT’s point of view (PPV/NPV vs. Sensitivity/Specificity), and what is more important information from a PHYSICIAN’s point of view (PPV/NPV vs. Sensitivity/Specificity).
  2. Think of hypothetical screening programs for diseases of interest to you; find one example of a disease where high sensitivity would be more important, and one example where high specificity would be more important.
  3. What are some strategies to reduce lead time bias in studies evaluating the efficacy of screening programs?
 

Question for the intellectually curious

Observational studies of screening programs often compare the mortality and survival time in individuals who choose to be screened to individuals who do not choose to be screened. What are some potential biases that could arise in observational studies of screening programs?

Introduction   >   Learning
Objectives		   >   Student
Role		   >   Study
Design		   >   Data
Collection		   >   Data
Analysis		   >   Discussion
Questions
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