Sensitivity
Sensitivity is the true positive rate: the probability a test is positive given the condition is true.
Definition
Sensitivity is a conditional probability: P(test positive given condition true). It is also called the true positive rate.
Why it matters
Sensitivity and specificity can be converted into likelihood ratios used in Bayes updates. High sensitivity reduces the false negative rate.
How it connects
• False negative rate equals 1 minus sensitivity.
• Sensitivity contributes to LR plus and LR minus when combined with specificity.
Common pitfalls
Confusing with precision: Sensitivity is not the probability the condition is true given a positive test.