Health news often claims to have important implications for you and your family’s health. But if you don’t understand the science behind it, those implications may be misleading or even harmful. It takes years of many solid studies to prove something substantial about health or treatment, and most medical thinking changes over time. That’s why it’s so important to take a step back when you see health news in the media.
Start by identifying the source of the information. A good place to look is in academic research journals, which usually carefully scrutinize studies before they publish them. But even these reports can be misleading, especially if they cram too much information into a short story or fail to mention the study’s downsides.
Another consideration is how the study was done. Does it involve humans or lab animals? If it involves animals, how do the results compare to those of humans? And if the study involves people, do the researchers have a history of doing similar work in the past?
Also keep in mind that most health news reports involve numbers. Numbers can be very misleading, and it’s easy to interpret them incorrectly. For example, a drug may cut the risk of a disease in half, but that doesn’t mean that it’s safe for everyone to use. If you’re confused about a number in a news report, consider asking your doctor for clarification. They can help you sort through the hype and find what’s most relevant to your child’s health.
