There are at least a dozen types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) that are consid

Question

There are at least a dozen types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) that are considered high-risk and cause approximately 5% of all cancers world-wide. However, high-risk HPV infections are common and most occur without any symptoms and resolve on their own within 1-2 years. In 2003, cervical HPV screening tests became available and are now approved for use in combination with a Pap test among women over the age of 30. Such tests can detect infection of several high-risk HPV types before cell changes become evident. Some argue that HPV screening tests should be approved for universal use among women of all ages because the incidence of high-risk HPV infections has increased dramatically over the past decade.

1. What kind of bias is this?

a. lead time bias

b. length bias

c. selection bias

d. overdiagnosis bias

Explanation / Answer

first we discuss all types of biases here then we will tell which kind of bias is that

(a) Lead time bias : Lead time is the length of time between the detection of a disease (usually based on new, experimental criteria) and its usual clinical presentation and diagnosis (based on traditional criteria). It is the time between early diagnosis with screening and the time in which diagnosis would have been made without screening.

here it is not relevant here so that's not the answer

(b) Length time bias is a form of selection bias,  a statistical distortion of results that can lead to incorrect conclusions about the data. Length time bias can occur when the lengths of intervals are analysed by selecting intervals that occupy randomly chosen points in time or space. That process favors longer intervals and so skews the data.

Here this type of bias is irrelevant here.

(c) Selection Bis : Selection bias is the bias introduced by the selection of individuals, groups or data for analysis in such a way that proper randomization is not achieved, thereby ensuring that the sample obtained is not representative of the population intended to be analyzed.

There is no selection bias. Instead here we are recommending to select everyone in the sample.

(d) Overdiagnosis Bias : Here this is the answer as we know that only 5% of women who develop cancers from the said virus. But diagnosis of each and every women will lead to over diagnosis ad futile effort so answer D is correct here.

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