What do sensitivity and specificity measure in the context of fall risk screening?

Sensitivity and specificity are key metrics used in the context of diagnostic testing, including fall risk screening. Sensitivity refers to the ability of a test to correctly identify individuals who are at risk of falling—essentially, it measures how many true positives are captured. A high sensitivity means that a large proportion of individuals who have fallen are correctly identified as being at risk, which is critical for ensuring those at risk receive appropriate interventions.

On the other hand, specificity relates to the test's ability to accurately identify individuals who are not at risk of falling, meaning it measures how many true negatives are captured. A test with high specificity will accurately determine that individuals who have not fallen are indeed not at risk.

Therefore, the correct understanding is that sensitivity identifies those who are likely to fall (or have fallen), while specificity identifies those who are not at risk (or have not fallen). This duality is essential for effective fall risk screening as it informs healthcare providers about who needs further evaluation or specific interventions to prevent falls.