Question

test to screen for a serious but curable disease is similar to hypothesis testing, with a null hypothesis of no disease, and an alternative hypothesis of disease. If the null hypothesis is rejected treatment will be given. Otherwise, it will not. Assuming the treatment does not have serious side effects, in this scenario, it is better to increase the probability of:

a)making a Type 1 error, providing treatment when it is not needed.

b)making a Type 1 error, not providing treatment when it is needed.

c)making a Type 2 error, providing treatment when it is not needed.

d)making a Type 2 error, not providing treatment when it is needed.

e)None of the above

Answer 1

Providing treatment when not needed, may be done. Since, the treatment do not have serious side-effects, it is not risky to provide treatment to a completely fit individual. However, not providing treatment, when it is actually needed might be dangerous as the patient will have to suffer. Hence, even if the Null is true, treatment can be provided.
Hence, we can easily commit the error of rejecting the Null when it is True.
Hence, we can increase the chances (or, probability) of Type I error, that is, providing the treatment when it is not need.


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