Getting Diagnosed – How To Choose The Right Test
Say “Aaaahh!” (Photo credit: superfantastic)
“First the doctor told me the good news: I was going to have a disease named after me.” - Steve Martin
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Say you’ve decided to go ahead and get a diagnostic test done to have a more definite answer on whether you have a condition like depression.
Now what? Where do you start?
First off, here are some general factors to consider in choosing a test:
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1. Informativeness is basically how good the test is at telling you something useful. How informative a test is comes from both its sensitivity (how likely the test is to diagnose you as positive if you do have a condition, or avoiding false negatives) and specificity (how likely the test is to not diagnose you if you don’t have it, or avoiding false positives).
The ultimate test is both sensitive and specific – and most likely to give you an answer you can trust.
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2. Invasiveness is how disruptive or uncomfortable the test is to perform. A questionnaire is non-invasive, a laparoscopic surgery is invasive.
Try to minimize invasiveness if there is a choice between two otherwise equal diagnostic tests.
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3. Cost is definitely a factor for many people, even with insurance. People with higher deductibles or no insurance altogether will have to pay even more attention here.
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Using depression as an example, the diagnostic test consists of a visit to a doctor or therapist’s office and a series of questions drawn from the DSM IV.
Sensitive? Yes, 86% chance it will diagnose you if you do have depression.
Specific? Yes, 82% chance it will not diagnose you if you don’t have depression.
Invasive? No.
Cost? $130+. Of course, if you want to continue therapy, start medications, or find alternative treatments, that will increase your costs.
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You can find a list and helpful descriptions of common diagnostic tests at Harvard Medical School’s Family Health Guide.
And for tips on how to find the best treatment for you, stay tuned for our next blog post: “Feeling Better – How To Find A Treatment That Works”.
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Related Posts:
Do You Have A Condition? How To Find Out
5 Free Self-Tracking Tools to Help You Get In Shape
Depression Sufferers 3x More Likely to Have Anxiety
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