?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=The+Accuracy+of+Patients'+Judgments+of+Disease+Probability+and+Test+Sensitivity+and+Specificity&rft.creator=Hamm%2C+Robert+M.&rft.creator=Smith%2C+Stuart+L.&rft.subject=Cognitive+Psychology&rft.description=Background.+To+find+out+what+patients+know+concerning+diagnostic+uncertainties+before+they+communicate+with+a+doctor%2C+we+studied+their+understanding+of+the+characteristics+of+diagnostic+tests+for+six+common+conditions.+We+compared+the+accuracy+of+patients'+estimates+of+disease+probabilities+and+diagnostic+test+characteristics+for+diseases+with+which+they+did+or+did+not+have+prior+experience.+Methods.+To+measure+patients'+understanding+of+uncertainty+of+diagnostic+test+results%2C+questionnaires+describing+diseases+were+given+to+patients+in+clinic+waiting+rooms.+For+each+of+six+diseases%2C+a+two+page+questionnaire+(1)+presented+a+case+history+of+disease+and+diagnostic+test%3B+(2)+asked+respondent+to+estimate+(a)+probability+the+case+patient+has+the+suspected+disease%2C+(b)+sensitivity+of+test%2C+(c)+specificity+of+test%2C+and+(d)+probability+of+disease+given+positive+test%3B+and+(3)+asked+whether+patient+or+close+friend+or+family+member+had+ever+been+thought+to+have+this+disease.+Results.+In+clinic+waiting+room%2C+184+patients+responded+for+at+least+one+disease.+Although+patients+judged+the+disease+probabilities+to+be+higher+after+a+positive+diagnostic+test%2C+each+of+their+four+judgments+was+essentially+the+same+for+all+diseases%2C+including+those+with+high+and+low+prior+probabilities%2C+and+with+accurate+and+inaccurate+tests.+Past+experience+with+the+disease+was+associated+with+only+a+minimal+increase+in+the+accuracy+of+patient+knowledge.+Conclusions.+Patient+ignorance+of+the+uncertainties+of+diseases+they+might+encounter+demonstrates+the+need+for+patient+education+when+a+disease+is+suspected.+Lack+of+relation+between+accuracy+and+experience+suggests+this+need+is+not+being+effectively+met.&rft.date=1998&rft.type=Preprint&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=text%2Fhtml&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F660%2F1%2F296.html&rft.identifier=++Hamm%2C+Robert+M.+and+Smith%2C+Stuart+L.++(1998)+The+Accuracy+of+Patients'+Judgments+of+Disease+Probability+and+Test+Sensitivity+and+Specificity.++%5BPreprint%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F660%2F