Lead time bias
Lead time bias (pronounced: /liːd taɪm baɪəs/) is a type of bias that can occur in epidemiological studies, particularly in those involving screening for diseases.
Etymology
The term "lead time" is borrowed from the field of project management, where it refers to the time between the initiation and completion of a process. In the context of epidemiology, "lead time" refers to the period between the early detection of a disease through screening and the time of its usual clinical diagnosis. The term "bias" comes from the Latin bias, meaning oblique.
Definition
Lead time bias refers to the phenomenon where the perceived survival time of a disease appears to be longer not because the patient's life was extended but because the disease was identified earlier. This can give a false impression of the effectiveness of a treatment or screening method.
Related Terms
- Length time bias: This is another type of bias that can occur in epidemiological studies. It refers to the tendency of slower progressing diseases to be more likely detected by screening than faster progressing diseases.
- Screening: This is the process of testing for disease when there are no symptoms.
- Bias: This is a systematic error that can affect scientific investigations and distort the measurement process.
- Epidemiology: This is the study and analysis of the distribution, patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in defined populations.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Lead time bias
- Wikipedia's article - Lead time bias
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