Community Health Verified Questions and Answers Test Bank Related

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A nurse is administering a tuberculosis skin test to a client who has AIDS. Which of the following results should the nurse anticipate when using this screening test?

  • A. Decreased positive predictive value
  • B. Decreased reliability
  • C. Decreased sensitivity
  • D. Decreased specificity
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Decreased sensitivity. In clients with AIDS, the immune system is compromised, leading to a decreased ability to mount a response to antigens, such as the one in the tuberculosis skin test. This results in a higher likelihood of false-negative results, as the client may have tuberculosis but not have a strong enough immune response to produce a positive result. Therefore, the nurse should anticipate a decreased sensitivity in this population.

A: Decreased positive predictive value is not directly impacted by the client's immune status but rather by the prevalence of the disease in the population.
B: Decreased reliability is a vague term and not specific to the immune status of the client.
D: Decreased specificity is not typically affected by the client's immune status but rather by the test's ability to correctly identify those without the disease.