Number needed to screen reveals worthwhile screening programmes
Too often politics rather than evidence dictates national strategies
for disease screening. In response Rembold (p 307) developed a new
statistic, the number needed to screen, defined as the number of people
that need to be screened to prevent one death or other adverse event.
On this basis screening for, and treatment of, dyslipidaemia and
hypertension should save more lives than screening for cancer of the
colon with haemoccult tests or for breast cancer by mammography.
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- Number needed to screen: development of a statistic for disease screening
- Christopher M Rembold
BMJ 1998 317: 307-312.[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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