Understanding COVID-19, Screening Guidelines, Causation, and Breast Cancer Screening: A Review

COVID-19 and Diagnostic Laboratory Tests

Questions:

1)Select a recent newspaper article related to COVID 19. You can attach the article to the assignment or provide a working URL at the beginning of your response.

a)Describe the main issue discussed in the newspaper article and what it is about
b)Consider that there is a new diagnostic laboratory blood test being used for COVID 19.  What are the implications for sensitivity and specificity for this test and its use ?
c)Is the COVID 19 diagnostic test a gold standard?  Why or why not?
d)How is either the newspaper article that you selected or the concept of learning about sensitivity and specificity relevant to you as a future registered nurse?

2) The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has created guidelines for COVID 19 screening: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus/2019_guidance.aspx

a)What is mass screening versus selective screening and give an example for how each would work? You can use COVID 19 or another health condition to describe your example.
b)When considering these screening guidelines, is the MOHLTC recommending mass screening, selective screening or another form of screening?  Describe your answer.
c)Do you agree with these screening guidelines or do you think another priority group should be screened?  (e.g. young children, older adults etc.) Describe your answer.
d)Why are screening guidelines/protocols important for registered nurses to be aware of?  Describe your answer with rationale.

3) Consider a chronic health condition or health condition with multiple risk factors (choose from either diabetes, alzheimer's, cancer or COPD)

a)What considerations are important for determining the cause of the disease?
b)Which criteria would be helpful to understand the causal factors related to the disease you have chosen and why (e.g. Bradford Hill criteria, Rothman’s Sufficient Component Cause Model)
c)Using the criteria that you have selected in item b) which criteria did you deem relevant for understanding causality for your chosen health condition?  Is it possible to prove causality? Give rationale for your answer.
d)Why is understanding the concept of causation relevant for registered nurses to understand?  Explain your answer with rationale.

4) The phrase “correlation does not imply causation” is used regularly in the media.  

a)What does this phrase mean and why is it relevant to epidemiology?
b)Provide an example to describe the correct use of this phrase. Describe the example in detail.
c)Provide an example to describe a misinterpretation or incorrect use of this phrase. Describe the example in detail.
Why is it important for registered nurses to fully understand the terms ‘correlation’ and ‘causation’? Describe your answer with rationalea)What changes were made to breast cancer screening at the end of 2018 and why were these changes made? Do you agree with these changes? Explain if breast cancer screening recommendations are mandatory or voluntary?
b)How is the natural history of disease related to breast cancer screening? Explain your answer.
c)Describe the terms ‘overdiagnosis’ and ‘false positive tests’. How do these terms relate to breast cancer screening?
d)How can registered nurses promote breast cancer screening in their daily practice? Describe your answer.