BMJ  2006;333:397 (19 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7564.397

Letter

Interpretation of screening test results

Best performers have the most to learn

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—Branwell et al essentially sought participants' estimation of a Down's syndrome screening test's positive predictive value.1 Their results must be interpreted in the clinical setting.


Figure Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)
 Credit: JAMES KING-HOLMES/SPL

 

The pregnant women and companions are consumers and therefore should be delivered the results by a health professional who should provide an explanation. Midwives do not order the test and therefore should not be expected to communicate or interpret the results. That they are the main source of information for pregnant women on this test is therefore surprising. They may be the source in general rather than specific terms.

It is the doctors' responsibility to order and communicate the results of a test. Therefore, even though the obstetricians did best, they are the ones who need remediation.

Mark R Nelson, chair, discipline of general practice

School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 33, Hobart, Tas 7001, Australia Mark.Nelson@utas.edu.au

Competing interests: None declared.

  1. Bramwell R, West H, Salmon P. Health professionals' and service users' interpretation of screening test results: experimental study. BMJ 2006;333: 284-6. (5 August.)[Abstract/Free Full Text]

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Relevant Article

Health professionals' and service users' interpretation of screening test results: experimental study
Ros Bramwell, Helen West, and Peter Salmon
BMJ 2006 333: 284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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