Strüngmann Forum Reports Series

How eliminating risk illiteracy among doctors and patients will lead to better health care decision making.

One of the main issues in delivering high-quality health care is not financial but rather a lack of knowledge among both doctors and patients. Studies reveal that many doctors and most patients struggle to grasp available medical evidence, leading to widespread "risk illiteracy." This means they often cannot distinguish between actual and relative risk. Doctors frequently misinterpret test results, while patients cannot make informed choices when presented with inaccurate information. Treatment variations are significant; for instance, in one Iowa referral region, sixty percent of prostate patients underwent surgery, while only fifteen percent did in another region. Such disparities in treatment decisions are common in the U.S. and Europe, contributing to unnecessary healthcare spending. The contributors to this work examine the roots of these issues, highlighting the focus on technology and blockbuster drugs in medical research and the insufficient education for both doctors and patients. They advocate for a more enlightened healthcare system that includes improved medical education, transparent reporting of study outcomes, and empowering patients to manage their medical records. This approach aims to help patients navigate statistics confidently and make informed decisions about their treatments.

Experts discuss the multiple components of sustainability, the constraints imposed by their linkages, and the necessity of taking a comprehensive view.