HOME > PREPARED PATIENT BLOG > MEDICAL EDUCATION > CONVERSATION CONTINUES
Through blogs and comments, patients and experts explore what it takes to find good health care and make the most of it.
Health News: Proceed With Caution
Conversation Continues | September 15, 2011
Conversation Continues feature ongoing discussions or news on current health topics with links to related materials.' They are part of the Center for Advancing Health's portfolio of free, evidence-based coverage of what it takes to find good care and make the most of it. Written by Monica Kriete, CFAH Communications Associate and Goldie Pyka, CFAH Communications Manager.
.Marilyn Mann's guest post on Health News Review highlights how media hype contributes to medical overtreatment, which, she argues, both worsens patient outcomes and increases health care costs.' Marilyn's case-in-point is a recent CNN special, 'The Last Heart Attack,' which promoted coronary artery calcium scans as a screening measure to prevent heart attacks.' However, Marilyn observes that 'screening with calcium scans and carotid ultrasounds has never been shown to improve health outcomes over traditional risk factor screening alone.' With a side order of interviews with Bill Clinton touting his plant-based diet despite thin evidence of efficacy, this is more news from Sanjay Gupta to be taken with caution.
Just days later, Gary Schwitzer also notes on Health News Review that NBC anchor Andrea Mitchell used a lifetime risk statistic in a misleading way while announcing her breast cancer diagnosis. Other breast cancer advocates, while extending their sympathies for Ms. Mitchell, also shared their concerns about misinformation contained in her message.
This is not necessarily surprising.' In interviews, CFAH found that journalists are encouraged to write short, definite pieces and avoid ambiguity of any kind. This means not qualifying the findings or describing the limitations of studies, or making statements like 'more research is needed.'
Jessie Gruman expands on the consequences of this practice (and the public's complicity and desire for this type of "news") in Our Preference in Health News: Uncertainty or Naked Ladies?: "If questions about the risks of a drug I take are glossed over, why should I inquire about alternatives?"
Related Links:
- What You Can Do if You See Slipshod Health Care News
- Prepared Patient - Talking About Medical Tests With Your Health Care Team
- Inside Health Care: CT Scans
More Blog Posts by Conversation Continues
 Conversation Continues feature ongoing discussions or news on current health topics with links to related materials. They are part of the Center for Advancing Health’s portfolio of free, evidence-based coverage of what it takes to find good care and make the most of it. |
Tags for this article:
Medical Education
Disease Screening Conversation Continues Seek Knowledge about your Health Inside Healthcare
Comments on this post
Please note: CFAH reserves the right to moderate all comments posted to the Prepared Patient Blog. Any inappropriate postings will be removed.
No comments have been entered yet.
Add Your Comment
BROWSE BY: AUTHOR | TOPIC | MOST POPULAR
|
 |
More Money, More Time: Will that Improve Physician-Patient Communications? Stephen Wilkins | November 8, 2012 |
 |
Guest Blog: Minimally Disruptive Health Care: Treatment that Fits Marcus Escobedo | April 26, 2012 |
 |
Guest Blog: What Should Go in a Social History? Vineet Arora | March 13, 2012 |
 |
Guest Blog: Giving the Patient Bad News Anne Polta | March 13, 2012 |
RELATED HEALTH BEHAVIOR NEWS
 |
Health Care Providers Can Learn to Communicate Better with Patients |
 |
Primary Care Physicians Missing Early Signs of Serious Mental Illness |
 |
Education Can Reduce Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Home Patients |
 |
Calorie Counts on Menus Have Small but Promising Effects |
