Subjective probabilities in medical diagnosis

The extensive research on computer-based medical diagnosis has not had much impact on medical practice because of conflicting results and the apparently high cost of operational systems. The heart of these problems appears to be the unavailability of large amounts of easily retrievable actuarial data needed for the probability estimates about symptom & disease relationships. This paper proposes that computer-based medical diagnosis can become an effective and economically feasible tool through the routine use of appropriately obtained physician probability estimates

Validation of a computer based system for assessing dietary intake

Dietary intake was assessed in 50 patients in hospital by using a dietary history method and computer based system for data collection and standard food tables to calculate the composition of nutrients. The results were compared with those from a weighed assessment that was calculated by using both food tables and manufacturers' food analyses. The use of the food tables overestimated mean (SEM) individual nutrient intakes by between 2.5% (1.5%) and 15.5% (3.0%). The mean errors associated with the dietary history assessment varied from -23% (7.8%) for fat intake to +21.4% (8.5%) for carbohydrate intake. Overall, 30% of the assessments of total nutrient intakes that were calculated using this method were within -20% to +20% of actual values; 18% were within -10% to +10%. The mean errors associated with the computer based assessment varied from -1.0% (4.3%) for carbohydrate intake to +8.5% (3.4%) for protein intake. Overall, 56% of the assessments of total nutrient intakes were within -20% to +20% of actual intakes; 31% were within -10% to +10%. The computer based system provides an accurate, reproducible, convenient, and inexpensive method for assessing dietary intake.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio