With all the talk about Americans taking charge of their own health, it’s probably not surprising that there’s been a huge increase in the sales of home medical tests and equipment over the last five years.
It’s estimated that health-conscious consumers are spending more than $700 million a year on home diagnostic tests, and sales will probably top $1 billion by the end of the decade.
Blood pressure monitors, pregnancy tests and blood glucose monitors are the best-selling items in the home-test market, but there are others, including a cholesterol test that is expected to hit the shelves early next year.
For the consumer, there are a number of advantages to home testing, not the least of which is saving money. With a simple trip to the doctor’s office costing from $80 to $100, there’s a certain attraction to being able to stop at the local pharmacy and buy a product for $10 or $20 that will allow you to do things such as check for a urinary tract infection, monitor your cholesterol count or help you figure out if your child has an ear infection.
Besides the cost savings, many people enjoy the privacy and sense of control that home medical tests provide.
But doctors warn that there are potential drawbacks to some home tests that may outweigh the benefits. According to Dr. Paul Bachner, director of clinical laboratories and professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Kentucky Medical Center, patients tend to invest the tests with more predictive powers than they actually have.
“It’s critical to understand that these tests have the potential to be wrong,” says Bachner, “as does any laboratory test. And it’s important for people to realize that if they have persistent symptoms or if they have any doubt about the existence of their condition, then they should really seek medical help.”
In general, home medical tests can be divided into two categories: monitoring and screening.
Screening tests are done when you suspect that you might have an ailment, such as a urinary tract infection. Monitoring tests are usually performed after you’ve been to the doctor and are used to evaluate an ongoing condition.
Karen Zawisza, director of regulatory policy and biomedical programs at the Health Industry Manufacturers Association, points out that while companies are eager to introduce new home-testing kits, the Food and Drug Administration is strict about what it will allow on the shelves of your pharmacy.
“On one hand, it’s important that tests be easy to use and accurate,” says Zawisza. “On the other hand, the tests have to concern ailments that people care about but aren’t so high risk that if they were performed incorrectly it would harm the patient.”
Here are several home-test devices currently on the market:
– Otoscopes. Basically, this is an inexpensive version of the instrument that doctors use to examine eardrums and ear canals. It has a built-in light source, a magnifying lens and a funnel-shaped viewing piece called a speculum. The device is particularly useful for parents whose children are prone to ear infections, though it takes some serious practice-ideally on adults with healthy ears-to become adept. A home otoscope can run between $20 and $80.
– Ovulation tests. Couples have a better chance of conceiving children when they’re able to pinpoint the time that the woman is most fertile. These tests work by detecting a surge in what is called the lutenizing hormone, which quickly enters the urine within 24 hours of ovulation. Because of the variation involved, most of the kits have five days’ worth of test pads, and a few companies offer a three-day refill that must be purchased separately. These kits are quite reliable, but that doesn’t mean couples should expect instant success. Ovulation kits can run between $20 and $30.
– Peak flow meters. This small and easy-to-use instrument (about $20) measures how fast you can blow air out of your lungs (peak expiratory flow rate, or PEFR), and it can be a very important device for monitoring asthma. A decrease in the PEFR often occurs before an asthma attack develops, leaving a person time to adjust medication or consult with a doctor.
– Urinary tract infection kits. Home testing for urinary tract infections-a common ailment for about 6 million Americans-is inexpensive and easy to perform, but there is some question about the kits’ usefulness. Because such infections are usually treated with antibiotics, a positive result will still require a trip to the doctor.
The tests work by detecting nitrite, a chemical that’s produced by certain types of bacteria, in the urine. Their best use is for checking on the success or failure of infection treatment. The kits cost about $20 for 100 test strips.
– Fecal occult blood tests. This is one of the more hotly debated home tests. Hidden (occult) blood in the stool can be an indication of colorectal cancer. The products currently available detect blood through a variety of methods, most of them quite simple and easy to use.
The drawback is that the kits can test positive for a number of causes other than bleeding in the colon. Because colorectal cancer bleeds sporadically, most of the products include three tests that should be used consecutively. Because the risk of colorectal cancer climbs dramatically after the age of 50, this test may be valuable for older adults. Consult a doctor after any positive result. The kits cost about $10 to $15.
Before you turn your bathroom into a mini-medical laboratory, there are a few rules to follow:
– Always check the expiration date on the product. Expired kits may give inaccurate results.
– Study the package carefully and make sure you fully understand the instructions.
– When a step has to be timed, be precise. If the instructions say “Check after three minutes,” don’t wait 3 1/2 minutes.
– Try to purchase products that have toll-free phone numbers, so you can call the company if you’re unsure of a result.
Perhaps most important of all, says Bachner, is that people should have a definite sense of why they’re taking the test.
“If someone decides that they’re going to do a test for hidden blood in the stool because they think they may have colon cancer, they need to think about what action they’re going to take if the test is positive. And by doing that, the person will hopefully be able to get the treatment they need.”
