SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREDICTING DISEASE ONSET

A method and apparatus for assessing a person's disease status is provided using a plurality of disease prediction factors for that person and applying a multivariate disease prediction equation to the data to assess the disease status of that person. The multivariate disease prediction equation includes the contribution for each disease prediction factor in a comprehensive set of disease prediction factors. Each of the plurality of disease prediction factors for which data are available from the test person is included in the comprehensive set. The multivariate disease prediction equation is obtained by PA1 (a) obtaining disease association data for each disease prediction factor in a first subset of the comprehensive set of disease prediction factors that are used in the multivariate disease prediction equation; PA1 (b) obtaining additional disease association data for each disease prediction factor in at least one additional subset of the comprehensive set of disease prediction factors; PA1 (c) obtaining cross-correlation data between each of the disease prediction factors in the comprehensive set, the cross-correlation data being obtained from a database in which all of the disease prediction factors in the comprehensive set are included; and PA1 (d) using the disease association data together with the cross-correlation data to develop the multivariate disease prediction equation.