Educated Guesses: Making Policy about Screening Tests

by Louise B. Russell

Book Overview

A copublication with the Milbank Memorial Fund

Prevention is the best cure--or is it? As medical experts hammer home the importance of annual medical checkups and routine screening for everything from high blood pressure to cancer, Americans have come to believe that frequent screening tests are essential for saving lives. But just how effective are the tests that we have come to take for granted? In this provocative book, medical economist...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520083660
• ISBN13: 9780520083660
• Release Date: February 1994
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

The problem with standardized medical tests

This very interesting book looks at the other side of standardized medical tests, in this case PAP tests, prostate tests and cholesterol quantification. It gives a provocative look at the validity and accuracy of these tests that so many consider normal, required measurement of health function. Based on false positive, false negative and cost/benefit analysis, these tests no longer appear as fool-proof as we've been lead to believe and their use as predictors of disease is not convincing.