If one regards humans as entirely rational beings, a doctor’s visit is the logical response to health problems. But what if this view of humans does not apply to one’s own health? A new study shows that almost one in three people avoids information about their own health.
The findings stem from a meta-analysis by the Max Planck Institute. For this, the researchers analyzed data from 92 studies with more than 500,000 participants. The data were collected over nearly four decades in 25 countries on all five continents. The main health conditions used for the study are diabetes, cancer, HIV, Huntington’s disease and Alzheimer’s. People who were not ill were also part of the study.
The researchers define information avoidance as behaviors through which people delay or prevent obtaining information about their own health. This includes, for example, patients not attending their medical appointments and cancer screening examinations, avoiding scheduled call-backs with doctors, or ignoring the disclosure of an HIV test result.
Many correlations, but no causality
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The research team also wanted to understand what feelings and thoughts play a role in information avoidance. People who feel overwhelmed, fear a disease or diagnosis, or do not trust the health care system tend to avoid obtaining more information. Fear of being stigmatized by their surroundings when a diagnosis is present is also an obstacle.
“What matters is: The results are correlations. We cannot say that one thing leads to another,” says Konstantin Offer, first author and doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute for Educational Research. In clinical-medical research causal effects are rarely tested. Although connections are observed, cause-effect dynamics are difficult to establish from them.
The problem of information avoidance is likely familiar to many. “In personal conversations, many report that they have experienced this phenomenon themselves or know it from friends and family,” says Konstantin Offer.
How health topics could be communicated more effectively was not studied by the research team. But health psychology and communication science have been dealing with this for a long time.
Away from jargon
For example, Simone Dohle, head of the Laboratory for Health and Risk Communication at the University Hospital Bonn. “Information should be conveyed in clear, understandable language that avoids professional jargon and instead uses simple formulations, visual aids such as infographics or videos, and a step-by-step approach,” she says.
As an example, Dohle cites the smoke-free program of the Institute for Therapy Research and the Federal Institute for Public Health. There, in addition to knowledge, practical exercises, social support and positive reinforcement are offered. The goal is to sustainably anchor a feeling of “I can do this!” or the attitude “I know how I should act.”
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Another positive example are patient education programs, such as those for hypertension. These are outpatient programs for which teaching materials can be ordered, enabling patients to learn more about their illness, develop skills for self-monitoring such as blood pressure measurement, and cultivate an attitude toward a healthier lifestyle.
Fear-inducing communication deters
Fear appeals deter, however, according to psychologist Dohle. But unfortunately health communication still clings to the misconception that a perceived threat prompts action. Instead, it triggers flight reflexes. “What matters most is that those affected feel they are not helplessly exposed to a health threat, but can act effectively against it,” says Simone Dohle.
According to Sonia Lippke, Professor of Health Promotion and Prevention at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, much in health education must also change. People of all ages should be able to make use of the information. “Education must be enjoyable, for example with new media and formats,” says Lippke. At her university, they rely on gamification and listen to what the respective target group wants and needs.
The Federal Ministry of Health launched the online portal gesund.bund in September 2020. Information can also be obtained in plain language and doctors and hospitals can be found. The ministry also points to a contribution from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.
On their website there is a checklist and a video on how to find good health information on the Internet and protect yourself from advertisements and unreliable information.
