Comments on: The USPSTF, Mammography and Medical Miscommunication http://onyeije.net/blog/2009/11/30/the-uspstf-mammography-and-medical-miscommunication/ A new and improved blog brought to you by Chukwuma Onyeije, MD Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:12:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Weekly News Round-Up, 1/3 : Healthy Life http://onyeije.net/blog/2009/11/30/the-uspstf-mammography-and-medical-miscommunication/comment-page-1/#comment-348 Weekly News Round-Up, 1/3 : Healthy Life Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:02:19 +0000 http://onyeije.net/blog/?p=286#comment-348 [...] I left comments about information literacy on posts about “threats to science and medicine” and the reaction to the new mammography recommendations. [...] [...] I left comments about information literacy on posts about “threats to science and medicine” and the reaction to the new mammography recommendations. [...]

]]> By: Weekly News Round-Up, 1/3 « Women’s Health News http://onyeije.net/blog/2009/11/30/the-uspstf-mammography-and-medical-miscommunication/comment-page-1/#comment-347 Weekly News Round-Up, 1/3 « Women’s Health News Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:03:37 +0000 http://onyeije.net/blog/?p=286#comment-347 [...] I left comments about information literacy on posts about “threats to science and medicine” and the reaction to the new mammography recommendations. [...] [...] I left comments about information literacy on posts about “threats to science and medicine” and the reaction to the new mammography recommendations. [...]

]]> By: Rachel http://onyeije.net/blog/2009/11/30/the-uspstf-mammography-and-medical-miscommunication/comment-page-1/#comment-341 Rachel Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:57:48 +0000 http://onyeije.net/blog/?p=286#comment-341 [cross-posted from your Ponderous, which I came across first] "If those of us who value evidence based medicine are content to have our side of the story conveyed on the editorial page of the NEJM we face the real possibility of being scooped and outflanked by bloggers and the twitterverse." - I would add a caveat to that that there are those of use in the blogosphere/twitterverse (who may not be MDs) who certainly do value and understand EBM and try to offset the hysteria in medical media reporting such as in this case. Not that we couldn't use more people like us out there. The type of reaction that occurred with the mammography story is not just a blog or Twitter problem, though - it was a problem of media reporting, members of Congress, and - most importantly to me as a medical librarian - health and info literacy in general. How many people realized they could go straight to AHRQ and get the full report freely for themselves? How many even tried? How many thought to ask their local med librarian (or "regular" librarian) for help finding that information, rather that just reading a CNN summary? I can't even tell you how many comments I saw on blogs saying something like "well, it said women under 50 should *not* get mammograms" - something the media coverage might have suggested, certainly, but not at all what the actual document says. I think more emphasis (from grade school on up) on information literacy could offset a lot of the misunderstanding/misrepresentation that occurred in *all* of those venues, which was not at all limited to blogs (who were mostly just parroting what came out of the media). I think this is one for the MDs as far as attitude, too - how many docs react poorly when a patient comes in with information and questions on a medical issue? I know my own mom was subjected to condescension and eyerolling, until she pulled the "my daughter, who is a medlib at a big academic med center, got this info for me" card. Most people don't have that card to pull, though, and many are encouraged to just trust their docs and ignore the internet/books/other sources of info altogether - without any distinction made as to the quality/reliability of sources, or encouragement of a patient's own agency/right to information. When people get a reaction like my mom did, it doesn't exactly incentivize them to be active participants in their own care - especially if they don't have the resources and spunk she had at their disposal. Whew, sorry that was so long - I've clearly been on vacation too long. Enjoying your blog. :) [cross-posted from your Ponderous, which I came across first]
“If those of us who value evidence based medicine are content to have our side of the story conveyed on the editorial page of the NEJM we face the real possibility of being scooped and outflanked by bloggers and the twitterverse.” – I would add a caveat to that that there are those of use in the blogosphere/twitterverse (who may not be MDs) who certainly do value and understand EBM and try to offset the hysteria in medical media reporting such as in this case. Not that we couldn’t use more people like us out there.

The type of reaction that occurred with the mammography story is not just a blog or Twitter problem, though – it was a problem of media reporting, members of Congress, and – most importantly to me as a medical librarian – health and info literacy in general. How many people realized they could go straight to AHRQ and get the full report freely for themselves? How many even tried? How many thought to ask their local med librarian (or “regular” librarian) for help finding that information, rather that just reading a CNN summary? I can’t even tell you how many comments I saw on blogs saying something like “well, it said women under 50 should *not* get mammograms” – something the media coverage might have suggested, certainly, but not at all what the actual document says. I think more emphasis (from grade school on up) on information literacy could offset a lot of the misunderstanding/misrepresentation that occurred in *all* of those venues, which was not at all limited to blogs (who were mostly just parroting what came out of the media).

I think this is one for the MDs as far as attitude, too – how many docs react poorly when a patient comes in with information and questions on a medical issue? I know my own mom was subjected to condescension and eyerolling, until she pulled the “my daughter, who is a medlib at a big academic med center, got this info for me” card. Most people don’t have that card to pull, though, and many are encouraged to just trust their docs and ignore the internet/books/other sources of info altogether – without any distinction made as to the quality/reliability of sources, or encouragement of a patient’s own agency/right to information. When people get a reaction like my mom did, it doesn’t exactly incentivize them to be active participants in their own care – especially if they don’t have the resources and spunk she had at their disposal.

Whew, sorry that was so long – I’ve clearly been on vacation too long. Enjoying your blog. :)

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