Canadian Health Information Management Association Practice Exam

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Which statement accurately describes sensitivity?

Sensitivity is a measure of central tendency
Sensitivity is not a measure of validity
Sensitivity is the percentage of all true cases correctly identified
Sensitivity is the percentage of all true non-cases correctly identified

The correct answer is: Sensitivity is the percentage of all true cases correctly identified

Sensitivity is defined as the ability of a test to correctly identify those individuals who have a particular disease or condition. It is calculated as the percentage of true positive results (individuals who actually have the disease) out of the total number of actual positive cases (both true positives and false negatives). Therefore, it reflects how effectively a test can detect cases where the condition is present. For clarity, sensitivity measures how well a test can identify the true cases rather than being a measure of central tendency, which relates to statistical averages. Additionally, while sensitivity is related to the validity of a test, the measure itself is specific to the recognition of true positive outcomes, making it a distinct aspect of evaluating diagnostic effectiveness rather than a measure of overall validity. The incorrect choice regarding true non-cases pertains to specificity, which instead evaluates the test's ability to correctly identify individuals without the disease.