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Conflicting Health Studies Stir Confusion
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Medical advice on what is good or bad for our health sometimes seems as changeable as the weather. But even casual readers can still make informed choices from apparently contradictory findings.
30-Second Summary
On Jan. 11, 2008, Science Daily reported that a study into the effects of stress had linked it to health problems such as heart disease and depression.
In June 2004, however, the BBC reported that a study conducted by a pair of doctors from the University of Kentucky and the University of British Columbia concluded that small amounts of stress could actually improve a person’s health.
Such apparent contradiction will be nothing new to followers of medical news. In 2002, Hormone replacement therapy was a hotly contested issue. Some studies focused on the treatment’s negative effects; others highlighted the benefits.
Some of the hormone therapies were linked to an increase in heart disease or associated with ovarian cancer. However, they were also said to improve breast cancer prognoses and lower cholesterol levels.
The differing studies undoubtedly left many post-menopausal women wondering what to do.
Doctor LuAnn Moraski of the Wisconsin Medical Society writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that studies can also baffle medical professionals. The important thing is to remember that not every study is germane to every patient.
An article from the University of Ohio Medical Center Media Relations Office advises people to pay attention to study specifics. Knowing how many people were studied, how the research was designed, and who funded it can help readers draw informed conclusions.
However, some in academia think that the current peer review process—the method by which articles are evaluated before publication—is partly to blame and should be made more transparent.
Still others maintain that anonymity is essential to save peer reviewers from becoming embroiled in professional disputes with the authors of rejected papers.
In June 2004, however, the BBC reported that a study conducted by a pair of doctors from the University of Kentucky and the University of British Columbia concluded that small amounts of stress could actually improve a person’s health.
Such apparent contradiction will be nothing new to followers of medical news. In 2002, Hormone replacement therapy was a hotly contested issue. Some studies focused on the treatment’s negative effects; others highlighted the benefits.
Some of the hormone therapies were linked to an increase in heart disease or associated with ovarian cancer. However, they were also said to improve breast cancer prognoses and lower cholesterol levels.
The differing studies undoubtedly left many post-menopausal women wondering what to do.
Doctor LuAnn Moraski of the Wisconsin Medical Society writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that studies can also baffle medical professionals. The important thing is to remember that not every study is germane to every patient.
An article from the University of Ohio Medical Center Media Relations Office advises people to pay attention to study specifics. Knowing how many people were studied, how the research was designed, and who funded it can help readers draw informed conclusions.
However, some in academia think that the current peer review process—the method by which articles are evaluated before publication—is partly to blame and should be made more transparent.
Still others maintain that anonymity is essential to save peer reviewers from becoming embroiled in professional disputes with the authors of rejected papers.
Headline Links: Stressful contradictions
According to a study featured in ScienceDaily, stress is terrible for you. Prolonged stress can so alter how the brain functions that people “forget not to be stressed out,” writes ScienceDaily. Even people who aren’t enduring major life traumas, such as divorce or bereavement, can experience problems because small amounts of stress add up over time. The study also found that stress could lead to heart problems and depression. Experiencing those health problems can in turn lead to more stress, creating a vicious cycle.
Source: ScienceDaily
‘Stress Can Be Good for Your Body’
According to a study published in Psychology Bulletin in 2004, some stress is good for you. The study found that small surges of stress that last for a short period actually boost the immune system’s ability to fight off infection. However, long-term stress wears people’s immune systems down, making them more susceptible to infections. “We all need some pressure in life. Stress is there to make sure you do your best in a challenging situation, whether it is running away from a saber-toothed tiger or having to confront a difficult interview,” said Phillip Hodson, a fellow at British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy, in an interview with the BBC. “What's damaging health-wise is unrelieved stress.”
Source: BBC
Opinion & Analysis: Differences of opinion; peer review questions
A 2006 article from the Ohio State University’s Medical Center Media Relations Office estimates that more than 1,000 studies are produced each day, often drawing conflicting conclusions. The article points out some useful indicators of a study’s quality. For example, studies involving more people are generally more reliable than those with a small sample. The article also advises readers to find out who paid for the study and how it was designed. Those that are double-blind are among the “gold standards,” states the article.
Source: Netwellness.org
Physicians are not always sure how to interpret studies that yield conflicting advice, according Doctor LuAnn Moraski of the Wisconsin Medical Society’s column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Moraski writes that people should not stop taking medicine if they read about a study that scares them. Instead, they should call their doctor to discuss what to do next. Though a study may be conducted correctly, with correct conclusions, it may not be relevant to every patient.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Questions about the peer review process
Before publishing studies, medical journals have researchers examine its methodology and conclusions in a process called peer review. However, after a few highly publicized studies were found to have serious flaws, some in academia have asked whether the anonymity enjoyed by peer reviewers is creating a problem. Although reviewers comment on the studies, they do not talk to the authors, are not paid, and do not attempt to replicate any their methods. Former New England Journal of Medicine editor Marcia Angell told The Boston Globe that peer review “has been bandied about as a sort of ‘Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.’ It is only as good as the peer reviewers and editors.” However, others don’t believe the system needs to be fixed.
Source: The Boston Globe
Related Topics: Questions regarding HRT
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prompted a number of highly publicized studies with conflicting conclusions. In 2002, the National Institutes of Health stopped a long-term study of the treatment after data suggested that it might increase the risk of heart problems. Soon after, a different federally sponsored study suggested that women who took only estrogen were at greater risk for ovarian cancer. Other studies highlighted the possible benefits from HRT, such as a decrease in risk for endometrial cancer, better breast cancer prognoses and improved cholesterol and blood-sugar readings. Conflicting studies about HRT’s role in memory loss have also been published. Medical Web site WebMD says women have to talk to their doctors and weigh the possible risks and benefits of HRT.
Source: WebMD
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