Which term describes an assessment error in which a disease is present but not detected by the test?

• A. True Positive
• B. False Positive
• C. False Negative
• D. True Negative

Answer: (C)

When the disease is actually present but the test result comes back negative, that is a false negative. This reflects imperfect test sensitivity—the test fails to detect the disease despite its presence.

In contrast, a true positive means the disease is present and the test is positive; a false positive means the disease is absent but the test is positive; a true negative means the disease is absent and the test is negative. The false negative is the situation described in the question, highlighting the consequence of missed detection and potential delays in treatment.