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Glossary
The glossary explains some of the words used across this website and covers some key cancer and research terms, which primarily focus on lung cancer.
Decision aid
A communication tool that helps people become more involved in decision-making around their health by providing an overview of the potential benefits and harms of an intervention. Decision aids can be leaflets, information packs or multimedia resources.1-3
See also ‘Shared decision-making’
Deep learning algorithms (DLAs)
A subset of machine learning that aims to simulate the complex decision-making of the human brain. DLAs are trained without labelled data, and extract information from which they infer their own characteristics and relationships.4
See also ‘artificial intelligence’
Determinant (of health)
The factors that affect the health of individuals and communities. These include: the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and a person’s individual characteristics and behaviours.5
Disability-adjusted life year (DALY)
A standardised measure used to statistically describe the burden of disease in a population. One DALY represents the loss of one year of perfect health; the total number of DALYs in a population will increase with the total number of years of life lost to due to premature mortality and years lived with a disability due to a disease that is being measured.6
See also ‘Cost-effectiveness analysis’, ‘Morbidity’ and ‘Quality-adjusted life year’
Disparity
Preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, and/or opportunities to achieve good health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.7
References
Sands J, Tammemägi MC, Couraud S, et al. 2021. Lung screening benefits and challenges: a review of the data and outline for implementation. J Thorac Oncol 16(1): 37-53
Politi MC, Studts JL, Hayslip JW. 2012. Shared decision making in oncology practice: what do oncologists need to know? The oncologist 17(1): 91-100
Kauczor HU, Baird AM, Blum TG, et al. 2020. ESR/ERS statement paper on lung cancer screening. European Radiology 30(6): 3277-94
IBM. 2024. What is deep learning? Available from: https://www.ibm.com/topics/deep-learning [Accessed 14/10/24]
World Health Organisation. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Available from: https://www.who.int/data/gho/indicator-metadata-registry/imr-details/158 [Accessed 12/04/22]
World Health Organization. 2017. Determinants of health. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/determinants-of-health [Accessed 03/08/2023]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2023. Health Disparities. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/disparities/index.htm [Accessed 04/08/2023]