Fife Chiropractic & Health Awareness Center

2026 54th Ave E

Fife, WA 98424 US

253-922-0450

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • New Patient Center
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
      • Your First Visit
      • Phase 1: Relief Care
      • Phase 2: Corrective Care
      • Phase 3: Wellness Care
    • Health Resources
    • Payment Options
  • About Us
    • Meet the Doctors
      • Dr. Chrissy Blair
      • Dr. Justin Blair
      • Dr. Tracy Foley
    • Meet Our Team
    • Services & Techniques
  • Self Scheduling
  • Success Stories
  • Reviews
  • Auto/Work Injury
  • Prenatal Chiropractic
  • Pediatrics
  • Sports Injury
  • Decompression Therapy
  • Exercise
    • Basic Postural Exercises
    • For Vertigo or Dizziness
    • Osgood Schlatter
    • Spondylolisthesis or Anteriolisthesis
  • Contact Info & Directions
  • Community Content
    • About Chiropractic Care
      • What is Chiropractic
      • How Does it Work
      • Who is Chiropractic For
      • Vertebral Subluxation
      • Wellness Resources
    • Common Conditions Treated
      • Auto Accident Injuries
      • Back and Shoulder Pain
      • Body Pain
      • Chronic Condition Relief
        • Conditions Affecting Women
        • Headaches
      • Herniated Discs
      • Improved Health
      • Pediatric Ailments
      • Repetitive Use Injuries
      • Respiratory Function
    • Health & Wellness
      • Healthy Thinking
        • Get Positive
        • Relaxation Techniques
      • Life in Motion
      • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
        • Treat Yourself Well
        • Treat Others Well
        • Eat Well
      • Wellness Essentials
        • At Home
        • At Work
        • Exercise
        • Nutrition
        • What You Wear
      • Wellness Perspectives
        • Physical
        • Social
        • Spiritual
        • Mental
    • Therapies & Techniques
      • Techniques
      • Therapies
    • Newsletter Library
      • Weight Loss
      • Staying Motivated
      • Staying Young
      • Life-Work Balance
      • Stress & Anxiety
      • Mind-Body Connection
      • Wellness
      • Pregnancy & Parenting
      • Back, Body & Joint Pain
      • Senior Health
      • Breaking Bad Habits
      • Healthy Tips
      • Exercise & Fitness
      • Injury Rehab & Prevention
      • Kid's Health
      • Illness Prevention
      • Chronic Conditions
      • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
    • Wellness4Kids
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Wellness >
  • Health Statistics and You

Health Statistics and You

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Wellness

We are awash in numbers, thanks in large part to the proliferation of personal mobile devices and the wrong-headed use of so-called big data.1 But applying statistical tools to the same set of data can support competing theories and lead to contradictory results. Such conflicting outcomes, known as antinomies if you remember Philosophy 101, cannot logically co-exist, and the field of statistics gets a bad reputation as a result. But big data can provide substantial value for people as individual patients. The key is to set some ground rules and understand the limitations of statistical investigation.

First and foremost, it's important to gain some clarity regarding the concept of false positives in regards to health. This statistical construct is familiar to all of us, although we may not be aware of it. If one of your doctors sends you for a laboratory test and the results are "positive", you'll be sent for follow-up tests until a final determination is made. If the final test turns out "negative", then the earlier results represented a false positive. The test results said you had the condition or disease, but in fact you did not.

False positives create numerous serious problems, not the least of which is the emotional toll of stress, anxiety, and fear experienced by the patient and her family and close friends. This is especially true when the suspected disease is a malignancy or other serious, life-threatening condition. It's useful and empowering for people to learn that 5% of all test results are falsely positive right from the start. Medical tests are designed this way. The 5% false positive rate is a necessary part of statistical analysis. It's built-in to the statistical design. In other words, test values that represent "normal" are obtained by cutting off the bottom 2.5% and the top 2.5% of a large sample of results from people who are "normal" for the thing being tested, such as white blood cell count or hemoglobin level.

Thus, 5% of normal people automatically have false positive results. Another way of stating this outcome is to consider that if you undergo a panel of 20 blood tests, one result (5% of 20) will be positive no matter what.

The vast majority of patients are not familiar with the statistical concept of false positive results.2 With a basic understanding of this construct and its implications, patients could ask their doctors meaningful questions such as, "What do the test results mean?", "Have you considered the possibility of a false positive result?", and "How will the additional tests you're recommending affect decision-making in my case?"

Posing such questions is tremendously empowering for you, the patient, and helps reestablish equity in the doctor-patient relationship.3 As a health care consumer, a little knowledge goes a long way. Gaining more than a little knowledge by reading articles on diagnostic methods and health care decision-making will further strengthen your own process as a patient.

1Bates DW, et al: Big data in health care: using analytics to identify and manage high-risk and high-cost patients. Health Aff (Millwood) 33(7):1123-31, 2014
2Paddock SM: Statistical benchmarks for health care provider performance assessment: a comparison of standard approaches to a hierarchical Bayesian histogram-based method. Health Serv Res 49(3):1056-73, 2014
3Stacey D, et al: Decision aids for people facing health treatment or screening decisions. Cochane Database Syst Rev 28;1:CD001431, 2014

  • About Chiropractic Care
    • What is Chiropractic
    • How Does it Work
    • Who is Chiropractic For
    • Vertebral Subluxation
    • Wellness Resources
  • Common Conditions Treated
    • Auto Accident Injuries
    • Back and Shoulder Pain
    • Body Pain
    • Chronic Condition Relief
      • Conditions Affecting Women
      • Headaches
    • Herniated Discs
    • Improved Health
    • Pediatric Ailments
    • Repetitive Use Injuries
    • Respiratory Function
  • Health & Wellness
    • Healthy Thinking
      • Get Positive
      • Relaxation Techniques
    • Life in Motion
    • Wellness Lifestyle Tips
      • Treat Yourself Well
      • Treat Others Well
      • Eat Well
    • Wellness Essentials
      • At Home
      • At Work
      • Exercise
      • Nutrition
      • What You Wear
    • Wellness Perspectives
      • Physical
      • Social
      • Spiritual
      • Mental
  • Therapies & Techniques
    • Techniques
    • Therapies
  • Newsletter Library
    • Weight Loss
    • Staying Motivated
    • Staying Young
    • Life-Work Balance
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Mind-Body Connection
    • Wellness
    • Pregnancy & Parenting
    • Back, Body & Joint Pain
    • Senior Health
    • Breaking Bad Habits
    • Healthy Tips
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Injury Rehab & Prevention
    • Kid's Health
    • Illness Prevention
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Nutrition & Healthy Eating
  • Wellness4Kids

Free 15-Minute Phone Consultation

Sign-up using the form or call us at 253-922-0450 to take advantage of this exclusive offer.

Featured Services

Click to Find Out More

  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.
    Learn More
  • Make an Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule and appointment today!
    Schedule Now
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home of offices.
    View Forms

Read More Reviews

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

9:00am

6:00pm

Tuesday:

9:00am

6:00pm

Wednesday:

9:00am

6:00pm

Thursday:

9:00am

6:00pm

Friday:

9:00am

6:00pm

Saturday:

By Appointment

By Appointment

Sunday:

Closed

Closed

Locations

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Reviews From Satisfied Patients

  • "We have been coming to Fife Chiropractic for 20 years. Each of our children have been since birth. We have always valued Chiropractic care, but this last fall it was really put to the test when our daughter fell off a horse and displaced her disk. Well, it was surgery or chiropractic care. Long story short, our daughter could have ended up in surgery but Dr.Chrissy and the staff at Fife Chiropractic helped her heal. She is the star defender of her soccer team."
    Jeff and Lynn F. /Fife, WA

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

  • Don't Let Back Pain Get You Down This Summer; Chiropractic Can Help

    Spending too much time on the couch due to back pain this summer? Chiropractic treatment could help you salvage your summer. ...

    Read More
  • Chiropractic Care for Osteoarthritis

    Tired of living with osteoarthritis pain? Your chiropractor may be able to help. ...

    Read More
  • Myofascial Release

    Not all pain is caused by obvious injuries like broken bones or cuts. Some pain may stem from the myofascial tissues. These tough membranes are wrapped around your muscles to provide support and connect them to other parts of the body. When myofascial tissue becomes stiff, it may restrict movement in ...

    Read More
  • Chiropractic and Headaches

    Have headaches become an unwelcome part of your life? Chiropractic care may help you finally get rid of your pain. ...

    Read More
  • How to Make Sure Your Chiropractic Adjustment Lasts

    A few surprisingly simple steps can help you maintain your chiropractic adjustment results longer. ...

    Read More
  • Chiropractic and Vertigo

    Medication isn't the only solution if you suffer from vertigo. Chiropractic treatment may finally stop the spinning. ...

    Read More
  • The 3 Most Common Chiropractic Questions Answered

    Looking for a natural way to treat pain? Chiropractic care offers an effective solution. ...

    Read More
  • How Chiropractic Care Can Help While Pregnant

    Tired of pregnancy aches and pains? Chiropractic care can ease your symptoms naturally. ...

    Read More
  • How to Enjoy Summertime Activities Without Back Pain

    Want to avoid an aching back this summer? Try a few of these suggestions. ...

    Read More
  • Winter Activities that Can Cause Pain and How to Prevent It

    Do you know how to avoid winter aches and pains? ...

    Read More

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for more articles

Follow Us

  • Copyright © 2022 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Site Map