Page 714 - 16Neonatal Jaundice_compressed

Neonatal jaundice

Sample A part of the study’s target population from which the subjects of the
study will be recruited. If subjects are drawn in an unbiased way from
a particular population, the results can be generalised from the
sample to the population as a whole.
Sampling Refers to the way participants are selected for inclusion in a study.
Sampling frame A list or register of names which is used to recruit participants to a
study.
Secondary care Care provided in hospitals.
Selection bias Selection bias has occurred if, the characteristics of the sample differ
from those of the wider population from which the sample has been
drawn or there are systematic differences between comparison
groups of patients in a study in terms of prognosis or responsiveness
to treatment.
Selection criteria Explicit standards used by guideline development groups to decide
which studies should be included and excluded from consideration
as potential sources of evidence.
Semi-structured interview Structured interviews involve asking people pre-set questions. A
semi-structured interview allows more flexibility than a structured
interview. The interviewer asks a number of open-ended questions,
following up areas of interest in response to the information given by
the respondent.
Sensitivity In diagnostic testing, it refers to the chance of having a positive test
result given that you have the disease. 100% sensitivity means that all
those with the disease will test positive, but this is not the same the
other way around. A patient could have a positive test result but not
have the disease – this is called a ‘false positive’. The sensitivity of a
test is also related to its ‘negative predictive value’ (true negatives) – a
test with a sensitivity of 100% means that all those who get a
negative test result do not have the disease. To fully judge the
accuracy of a test, its Specificity must also be considered.
Sensorineural deafness A type of hearing loss in which the root cause lies in the
vestibulocochlear nerve (Cranial nerve VIII), the inner ear, or central
processing centers of the brain.
Serum A fluid component of clotted blood that lacks clotting factors and
other elements which plasma includes. It retains antibodies,
electrolytes and soluble proteins. In this guideline, when referring to
bilirubin measurements on blood made on spun-down blood
samples, sderum is also used to refer to plasma.
Single blind study A study in which either the subject (patient/participant) or the
observer (clinician/investigator) is not aware of which treatment or
intervention the subject is receiving.
Single phototherapy Phototherapy given using a single light source.
Specificity In diagnostic testing, it refers to the chance of having a negative test
result given that you do not have the disease. 100% specificity means
that all those without the disease will test negative, but this is not the
same the other way around. A patient could have a negative test
result yet still have the disease – this is called a ‘false negative’. The
specificity of a test is also related to its ‘positive predictive value’ (true
positives) – a test with a specificity of 100% means that all those who
get a positive test result definitely have the disease. To fully judge the
accuracy of a test, its Sensitivity must also be considered.
Split bilirubin Laboratory test measuring conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin.

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