Resources Repository
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ArticlePublication 2020Bayes' Theorem, COVID-19, and Screening Tests
This article reviews the implications of increased testing for COVID-19 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain …
This article reviews the implications of increased testing for COVID-19 using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) through the application of Bayes’ Theorem for three hypothetical, stylized case scenarios. The scenarios involve three patients with a low, moderate, and high pre-test probability of COVID-19 infection. The category of low probability would include "asymptomatic individuals in a presumed low prevalence environment" and might vary from 10 to 20%. The category of moderate probability would include "individuals…
Probability/Bayes | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine -
Tools/ModelsInteractive, Teaching Resource 2020Interactive Graphic: Interpreting a COVID-19 Test Result
Currently, the most common diagnostic test for COVID-19 relies on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction …
Currently, the most common diagnostic test for COVID-19 relies on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and most often uses samples obtained from the respiratory tract by nasopharyngeal swab. This interactive graphic demonstrates the influence of the prior probability of COVID-19, the test sensitivity (i.e., the probability of a positive test conditional on disease presence), and the test specificity (i.e., the probability of a negative test conditional on disease absence) on the post-test probability of…
Probability/Bayes | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology | High School | College | Graduate | Doctoral | Professional | Graphics/Visualization | Quantitative Literacy -
ArticlePublication 2020Interpreting COVID-19 Test Results: A Bayesian Approach
This article considers the following question with respect to interpreting the results of polymerase chain reaction …
This article considers the following question with respect to interpreting the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays from nasal and pharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 to inform clinical decision making: "While a positive result in an acutely ill patient is straightforward, how should physicians interpret negative tests in patients with suspected COVID-19 infection?" Using an assumption of near-perfect specificity of PCR assays for COVID-19, the authors acknowledge the uncertainty of test sensitivity. They consider two clinical scenarios…
Probability/Bayes | Test Performance | Infectious Diseases | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology | Global -
ArticlePublication 2020Clinical Decision Making: Using a Diagnostic Test
This article is part of a 6-part series on clinical decision making. The authors use …
This article is part of a 6-part series on clinical decision making. The authors use two clinical examples to review the principles of interpreting diagnostic test results. They outline an approach that can be used to determine how to select and apply tests and their results to the practice of internal medicine. Topics covered in the two case studies include sensitivity and specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive value of tests, and how to estimate…
Probability/Bayes | Test Performance | Clinical Care | Health/Medicine -
ArticlePublication 2013Agent-Based Simulation Modelling Approach to ECEA of Health Interventions
This study develops a dynamic agent-based simulation model, the Disease Control Priorities Simulation (DCPSim) model, …
This study develops a dynamic agent-based simulation model, the Disease Control Priorities Simulation (DCPSim) model, to estimate the health and economic benefits of health interventions and policies. Authors examined two different policies that can scale up the availability of drugs for secondary prevention of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in India: a universal public provision (UPP) that provides a drug for free at public health facilities, and a universal public finance (UPF) that provides a drug…
Dynamic Simulation | Priority Setting/Ethics | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Chronic Disease/Risk | Social Determinants | Policy/Regulation | Health/Medicine | Asia & Pacific -
BookPublication 2019Non-Communicable Disease Prevention: Best Buys, Wasted Buys, Contestable Buys
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and the majority of these …
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and the majority of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. This book provides practical guidelines and lessons learned through real-world case studies. It is intended to be informative to NCD program managers, policy officers and decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries, who need to comparatively assess interventions for the prevention and control of NCDs.The authors emphasize the importance of context in NCD control…
Technology Assessment | Priority Setting/Ethics | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Infectious Diseases | Chronic Disease/Risk | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Health/Medicine | Global -
ArticlePublication 2019Cost-Effectiveness of Latent TB Screening before Immigration to Low-Incidence Countries
Despite prospective migrants to countries where the incidence of TB is low receiving TB screening …
Despite prospective migrants to countries where the incidence of TB is low receiving TB screening for active infections, screening for latent TB infection before immigration is rare. The authors used discrete event simulation to evaluate the cost-effectiveness preimmigration latent TB infection screening for migrants to low-incidence countries. They calculated cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained for migrants from countries with different TB incidences. Their analysis when combined with research on sustainability, acceptability, and program implementation can…
Dynamic Simulation | Mathematical Models | Cost-Effectiveness Analysis | Infectious Diseases | Government/Law | Health/Medicine | Global -
ReportPublication 2018Understanding the Economics of Microbial Threats: Proceedings of a Workshop
This report follows a June 2018, Forum on Microbial Threats that was held at the …
This report follows a June 2018, Forum on Microbial Threats that was held at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This was a 1.5-day public workshop with the goal being an assessment of the current understanding of the interaction of infectious disease threats and economic activity in order to suggest future areas of research. This workshop built on prior work of the Forum and aimed to build more mutual understanding between those in…
Technology Assessment | Health Outcomes | Evidence Synthesis | Infectious Diseases | Policy/Regulation | Global Governance | Clinical Care | Business/Industry | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Global -
ReportPublication 2010Priorities for the National Vaccine Plan
The authors examine the complexities of the vaccine enterprise, a fundamental component of preventive medicine …
The authors examine the complexities of the vaccine enterprise, a fundamental component of preventive medicine and public health, from research and development of new vaccines to financing and reimbursement of immunization services. The current climate, socially, economically and politically, presents challenges and opportunities to the U.S. to strengthen the existing systems of developing, manufacturing, regulating, distributing, funding, and administering safe and effective vaccines for all people. The authors present recommendations for priority actions intended to…
Technology Assessment | Evidence Synthesis | Infectious Diseases | Chronic Disease/Risk | Health Systems | Policy/Regulation | Economics/Finance | Health/Medicine | Science/Technology | North America