What does a test with high sensitivity and low specificity require?

A test with high sensitivity is effective at identifying individuals who have the condition (true positives) and thus minimizes the chance of missing these cases (false negatives). However, a test with low specificity is not very good at identifying those who do not have the condition, leading to a higher rate of false positives.

In such situations, more confirmatory testing is often required to validate results. This is because while the test may accurately detect most individuals with the condition, the presence of a high number of false positives necessitates additional testing to confirm whether a positive result is truly indicative of the condition. Confirmatory tests are typically more specific and help to clarify ambiguous results, ultimately helping to ensure that any treatment or intervention is appropriately targeted and based on accurate diagnoses. This approach helps practitioners avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments that can arise when relying solely on the initial test results.