Tests that diagnose diseases are less reliable than you’d expect. Here’s why

  • Written by: Adrian Barnett, Professor of Statistics, Queensland University of Technology
Tests that diagnose diseases are less reliable than you’d expect. Here’s whyCDC / Unsplash

You feel unwell, and visit your doctor. They ask some questions and take some blood for testing; a few days later they call to say you have been diagnosed with a disease.

What are the chances you actually have the disease? For some common diagnostic tests, the answer is surprisingly low.

Few medical tests are 100% accurate. Part of the...

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