Are At-Home Tests Trustworthy?
By Laura Colarusso
Are At-Home Tests Accurate?
It used to be that pregnancy tests were the only self-serve medical tests that you could take in the privacy of your own home. But now, thanks to evolving technology, we can test ourselves for everything from prostate cancer to HIV. But, home health tests may run a higher risk of misdiagnosis. And they don't take into account other risk factors, like family history. So, here are some tips to help navigate the home health test market.
Allergy tests
With spring approaching, it might seem like a good idea to drop by the drug store and get an allergy test kit. But, these tests may not be comprehensive enough to check all of theallergens that are out there. And even if you do identify potential allergens, you'll still need to see your doctor to figure out the best way to treat the allergy, said Dr. Jim King, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. In short, these tests may help identify some common allergens, but don't make this your one-stop shop for allergies.
Hepatitis C
A simple at-home blood test can tell you whether you've been exposed to hepatitis C, a virus that attacks the liver. But what the test likely won't tell you, is whether the disease is active or not. "That will take much further testing than you can do at home," King said. Unless you've had a blood transfusion, gotten tattoos or have shared needles, you probably don't need to be regularly screened for hepatitis C, King added.
HIV
Like hepatitis C tests, a home HIV test will be able to detect the viral antibodies that prove infection. And, as with hepatitis C, doctors will screen for human immunodeficiency virus based on a certain set of risk factors like sexual history and drug use. "The risk with an at-home HIV test is a false positive," said King.
Prostate Cancer
Though the market for home prostate cancer screening tests may be growing, doctors are warning patients that these kits aren't nearly as reliable as seeing your physician when it comes to making a diagnosis. Using blood tests alone to look for prostate cancer, which will be diagnosed in more than 200,000 men this year, could lead to problems because they are only about 66 percent reliable. A physical exam and a biopsy are two key steps in diagnosing this type of cancer, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Diabetes
Diabetes testing is one of the areas where home tests can be very helpful when you're a diagnosed patient trying to monitor blood sugar levels. But, it's not a good idea to rely on these tests if you're not sure whether you have the disease. "There are different tests that we use for monitoring and diagnosing diabetes," said King, who noted that normal blood-sugar level ranges can vary.
Urinary Tract Infections
How many of us have felt those familiar symptoms -- burning or painful urination, a strong urge to urinate -- at a time when we can't get over to our doctors and get tested to make sure it's a UTI? Urinary tract infections can be detected through at-home kits that test for nitrites, a substance present in the urine during UTIs, or white blood cells. But, even if the test comes up positive, you still have to go to your doctor to get the remedy -- antibiotics.
Colon Cancer
Patients should not to be lulled into a false sense of security with an at-home colon cancer test. These detect the presence of blood in a person's stool, but that's not the whole story. Lack of blood might not mean a person is in the clear because not all polyps bleed. Or, they might bleed intermittently, according to the Mayo Clinic. Conversely, blood in the stool can be an indicator of other problems like hemorrhoids. Doctors rely on a colonoscopy to examine the colon and look for potentially cancerous polyps.
Cholesterol
Managing cholesterol is something that millions of Americans deal with on a daily basis. For those who are trying to lower their levels, knowledge is power. Being able to track progress can help keep people informed and motivated, said King, who noted that "doing a home test...to see if that number has improved is appropriate." The trick with these tests is being able to tell the difference between readings for low-density lipoprotein, the bad cholesterol that clogs the arteries, and high-density lipoprotein, the good cholesterol that appears to help prevent heart disease.
