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Patients are Vulnerable to False Claims
Healthcare is filled with thousands of claims; most are untrue. Your inability to assess these claims for yourself renders you vulnerable. This blog aims to help you evaluate healthcare for yourself by showing you how to apply the principles of Critical Thinking.
The Categories of Evidence
A healthcare claim is only as good as the evidence that supports it. While evaluating data may seem daunting, it becomes manageable once you understand that evidence falls into distinct categories. Each category carries a predictable level of reliability; by identifying where a claim fits, you can immediately assess its strength.
"It Worked for my Friend"
Suppose you believe a treatment works because a friend had a positive response. This is an anecdote and belongs to the category: anecdotal evidence. To evaluate this claim, we evaluate the category. Is anecdotal evidence reliable? What is its track record with other claims? How often does it lead to the truth, and how often does it mislead? If anecdotes are unreliable in other contexts, can they be used to support your belief?
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Also, don't hesitate to explore Dr Woolf's lectures on YouTube.
