E16. Bad science+flashy headlines = consumer clickbait.

Springboarding from a recent attention-grabbing concussion headline, we discuss strategies to become more savvy consumers of science that affects our everyday lives. We talk about examples of ways that the popular press and social media can skew the actual scientific data....and discuss resources that can help listeners become informed consumers and find fact-based resources to guide decisions regarding youth sports, health, and safety. 

We want you to remember, too, that headlines may sell papers but are just the starting point vs. the ending point. One study is just one study, and correlation (relationships) don’t prove cause. Just like school mascots have nothing to do with your school’s concussion rates, sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence.

For more information on how to improve your research IQ, check out https://peterattiamd.com/how-to-read-and-understand-scientific-studies/ and conduct your own research on https://scholar.google.com/ .

Follow us on Instagram @DrMomCast and send us your questions and any topics about which you'd like to learn more.

Chapters

• 2:54 The best research isn't the most popular in the popular press.
• 5:25 "Early concussion linked to cognitive decline" - fact or fiction?
• 10:08 Do those headlines address "limitations?"
• 14:13 Great example: does your mascot predict concussion rates?
• 19:09 Another example: suicide rates among surgeons (and confirmation bias)
• 24:19 Negativity bias - it's what grabs our attention