What does sensitivity in a screening test refer to?

Sensitivity in a screening test refers specifically to the ability of the test to correctly identify individuals who have the condition, which is measured by the proportion of true positives identified. This means that sensitivity focuses on how effectively the test detects the presence of a specific disease or condition among those who actually have it.

When discussing sensitivity, it is important to understand that a highly sensitive test will have a low rate of false negatives, ensuring that most individuals with the condition are correctly identified by the test. Therefore, the focus is on identifying true cases rather than how many people pass or fail the test, which relates more to specificity and overall test accuracy rather than sensitivity.

The correct concept of sensitivity emphasizes the importance of detecting as many true cases as possible, which ultimately aids in further diagnosis and treatment. Understanding this definition is crucial when evaluating the effectiveness of diagnostic tests in clinical practice.