Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Defining disease in the context of overdiagnosis
Mary Jean Walker1, Wendy Rogers2
1Philosophy Department, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia. mary.walker@mq.edu.au.
Abstract:
Recently, concerns have been raised about the phenomenon of 'overdiagnosis', the diagnosis of a condition that is not causing harm, and will not come to cause harm. Along with practical, ethical, and scientific questions, overdiagnosis raises questions about our concept of disease. In this paper, we analyse overdiagnosis as an epistemic problem and show how it challenges many existing accounts of disease. In particular, it raises questions about conceptual links drawn between disease and dysfunction, harm, and risk. We argue that 'disease' should be considered a vague concept with a non-classical structure. On this view, overdiagnosed cases are 'borderline' cases of disease, falling in the zone between cases that are clearly disease, and cases that are clearly not disease. We then develop a précising definition of disease designed to provide practical help in preventing and limiting overdiagnosis. We argue that for this purpose, we can define disease as dysfunction that has a significant risk of causing severe harm to the patient.
Insights
Overdiagnosis, the identification of conditions that cause no harm, challenges our understanding of disease. This study proposes defining disease as dysfunction with significant risk of severe harm to prevent overdiagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Medicine
- Medical Epistemology
Background:
- Overdiagnosis is a growing concern, raising practical, ethical, and scientific questions.
- It challenges existing concepts of disease, particularly links to dysfunction, harm, and risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze overdiagnosis as an epistemic problem.
- To challenge existing disease conceptualizations and propose a new definition to limit overdiagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of overdiagnosis and disease.
- Examination of the relationship between disease, dysfunction, harm, and risk.
- Development of a précising definition of disease.
Main Results:
- Disease is best understood as a vague concept with a non-classical structure.
- Overdiagnosed cases represent 'borderline' instances of disease.
- A proposed definition: disease is dysfunction with significant risk of severe harm.
Conclusions:
- Overdiagnosis necessitates a re-evaluation of disease concepts.
- A precise definition of disease can help mitigate overdiagnosis.
- Defining disease by dysfunction and risk of severe harm offers a practical solution.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Documentation of Nursing Diagnosis
In some settings, data-driven computerized decision support systems are in place, allowing for more accurate nursing diagnoses. The database within one of these systems includes diagnostic labels defining characteristics, activities, and indicators for nursing. A nurse enters...
01:25Formulating and Validating Nursing Diagnosis II
Risk nursing diagnoses represent clinical judgments of an individual, family, or community more vulnerable to developing the health problem than others...
01:22Nursing Diagnosis
The nursing diagnosis focuses on evidence-based...
01:26Formulating and Validating Nursing Diagnosis I
There are thirteen domains...
01:27Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)
01:26Principles of Disease Surveillance