As an occupational health epidemiologist, you are required to measure the effect

Question

As an occupational health epidemiologist, you are required to measure the effect of stress on workers in your manufacturing plant. Two different tests previously developed to measure stress in industrial workers are selected: stress test alpha and stress test delta. The sensitivity and specificity of each test are shown here. Stress Test Alpha: Sensitivity = 60%, Specificity = 95%. Stress Test Delta: Sensitivity = 55%, Specificity = 90%. Which test generates the greatest proportion of False Negatives?

Explanation / Answer

Sensitivity is the probability that a test will indicate 'disease' among those with the disease

Specificity is the fraction of those without disease who will have a negative test result

False negative proportion = 1 - sensitivity

for Test Alpha, false negative = 1 - 0.6 = 0.4
for Test Delta, false negative = 1 - 0.55 = 0.45

Hence Test Delta generates the greatest proportion of False Negatives.

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