By
Carol Guzman
A
genetics study done by doctors or scientists could fill up multiple pages of a
peer-reviewed journal. But when that study finds its way onto the nightly news
or your Facebook feed, you’ll often find the research distilled down to a
catchy headline.
Sometimes,
the lack of details and context can leave the public with a misleading or
altogether wrong takeaway. Tips to combat the growing tide of scientific
misinformation and improve health literacy include:
- Approach health news with a healthy dose of
skepticism. Most articles highlight a study’s positive results. Consider
challenging your own assumptions and placing findings in context. It is easier
to write a story on a study with positive results, or results that agree with what
scientists are trying to prove versus negative or inconclusive results
- Google the reported study. When mainstream media reports on a scientific
study, they typically include a link to the scientific/academic article. Check
out a previous Sarnoff Center blog post with helpful resources
on how to tackle reading scientific articles.
- Evaluate the scientific journal’s
reputation. Not all scientific journals are created equal, use resources
like the Scimago Journal & Country Ranks
to gauge the journal’s standing in the academic community.
- Check the scientists’ credentials: Look up the scientist’s academic profile or their
intuitional affiliation. Is it a well-regarded university? Do their
affiliations reflect a conflict of interest?
- Search for similar studies. Studies that are replicated or show results
consistent across many studies are more likely to be solid.
So many
aspects of our lives – specifically, how we approach our health – rests on
scientific research. News organizations tend to focus on bold and exciting
headlines about provocative new studies, resulting in incomplete reporting and
misinterpreted results.
However,
we cannot fault non-scientists for all the click-bait junk science articles. A single
scientific study can fool many people, even if conducted by highly-regarded
scientists . An aspect of what makes science so powerful is the ability to
self-correct false findings. This occurs when another group of scientists
chooses to replicate an older study and do not reproduce the same findings as
the initial study. Another way this happens is when the initial group of scientists
self-identify a mistake in their study that was able to slip through the cracks
of a peer-review. Unfortunately, redactions or corrections are not as well
publicized as initial studies.
As
advances in genetic research shed light on how genes influence our lives, a
small but vocal majority are using scientific articles to reinforce incorrect
understanding. A newly released PBS documentary, “American Masters: Decoding
Watson,” explores the life and legacy of Dr. James Watson, one of the
discoverers of DNA’s structure in the early 1950s. Watson, now 90, is a
controversial figure because he insists genes influence traits in different
racial groups, despite many recent genetic studies concluding otherwise.
It’d be
easy to brush off the Nobel Prize winner’s tale as a story of an old man
holding onto outdated ideas, but white supremacists are also twisting science
to fit their ideologies. White supremacists have recently appropriated a study
about a mutation of the gene responsible for digestion of lactose claiming that
only those of European are able to digest milk into adulthood. However, had
they read the academic article in its entirety they would have read that the
mutation also occurred in other populations, individuals of East African
ancestry.
Even with the best intentions, journalists
and scientists may fail to accurately report the findings of a scientific study
or article. Everyone, even winners of a Noble Prize, can misunderstand an
article and spew incorrect information to the public. Scientific health
literacy is a vital tool, start by questioning what you read and find better
resources that can help you make informed decisions about you and your family’s
health.
Consider the tools/resources below as
reliable resources for health-related news:
-
FORCE X-Rays Blog
- Health News Review
- The Sarnoff Center's Genetic Counselor is another available resource to help you answer genetics questions
