Screening and Diagnostic Tools
You are an epidemiologist interested in food poisoning caused by salmonella.
Using the Internet, conduct a research to gain additional insight into the causes of food poisoning.
Based on your research, answer the following questions:
What are the different types of screening or diagnostic tests available to study salmonella? What the advantages and drawbacks of each of the tests?
If you were asked to employ the use of screening or diagnostic tests to study the transmission of salmonella, which screening or diagnostic tests would you recommend? Why?
For each test, which of the following principles would influence the study outcome and results:
Bias
Confounding
Values of sensitivity on epidemiological study validity
Values of specificity on epidemiological study validity
How will each principle influence the results of your epidemiological study based upon the type of screening or diagnostic tool?
Which screening or diagnostic tool would you recommend as the most effective in the epidemiological study of salmonella transmission? Why?