Skip to content
← All questions

How do you calculate the positive predictive value in the hypothetical screening example using Bayes' theorem?

The positive predictive value, or the probability of having the disease given a positive test result (P(D∣+)P(D \mid +)), is calculated by dividing the probability of a true positive by the total probability of a positive result. The total probability of a positive result includes both true positives and false positives. Using the supplied numbers: Prevalence P(D)=0.12P(D) = 0.12, Sensitivity P(+∣D)=0.95P(+ \mid D) = 0.95, False Positive Rate P(+∣Dc)=0.06P(+ \mid D^c) = 0.06, and P(Dc)=0.88P(D^c) = 0.88. The total positive probability is P(+)=P(+∣D)P(D)+P(+∣Dc)P(Dc)=0.95(0.12)+0.06(0.88)=0.114+0.0528=0.1668P(+) = P(+ \mid D)P(D) + P(+ \mid D^c)P(D^c) = 0.95(0.12) + 0.06(0.88) = 0.114 + 0.0528 = 0.1668. The posterior probability is P(D∣+)=0.1140.1668≈68.3%P(D \mid +) = \frac{0.114}{0.1668} \approx 68.3\%.

Conditions

  • Prevalence P(D)=0.12P(D) = 0.12.
  • Sensitivity P(+∣D)=0.95P(+ \mid D) = 0.95.
  • False positive rate P(+∣Dc)=0.06P(+ \mid D^c) = 0.06.
  • The events are mutually exclusive and exhaustive for the disease status.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Identify the prior probability of disease P(D)P(D) and no disease P(Dc)P(D^c).
  2. Identify the likelihoods P(+∣D)P(+ \mid D) and P(+∣Dc)P(+ \mid D^c).
  3. Calculate the joint probability of true positives: P(+∩D)=P(+∣D)P(D)P(+ \cap D) = P(+ \mid D)P(D).
  4. Calculate the joint probability of false positives: P(+∩Dc)=P(+∣Dc)P(Dc)P(+ \cap D^c) = P(+ \mid D^c)P(D^c).
  5. Sum these to get the total probability of a positive test P(+)P(+).
  6. Divide the true positive probability by the total positive probability to get P(D∣+)P(D \mid +).
  7. Convert the result to a percentage.

Example

The script states: 'In the lesson's hypothetical screening example, the positive probability is 0.12(0.95)+0.88(0.06)=0.16680.12(0.95)+0.88(0.06)=0.1668. Dividing the true-positive probability by this total gives about 68.3%.'

Common misconceptions

  • Ignoring the false positive contribution to the denominator.
  • Confusing sensitivity (P(+∣D)P(+ \mid D)) with positive predictive value (P(D∣+)P(D \mid +)).
  • Assuming the prior probability is 0.5 instead of the given 0.12.

Watch the explanation

Connected concepts

Explore next

Related questions

Find a method

↗
Understand why

↗
Find a method

↗
Understand why

↗

Answers are generated from source material and independently checked. Consult the original video or creator if something is unclear.