December 7, 2018.
According to a recent study, 70% of patients would lie to their doctor. What are the reasons for not telling the truth? We tell you everything.
Patients tend to hide their eating habits and physical activity from their doctors
If to the question of your doctor “do you have a regular activity? Or “Is your diet balanced?” You haven’t always been honest, so you won’t be surprised by the result of this new study published in the journal Jama Medical Education, which found that 7 out of 10 patients lied to their doctor. ” Most of the people questioned admit to having deliberately withheld information on at least one of the subjects », Can we read there.
To arrive at these results, scientists at the University of Utah (United States) analyzed data from two surveys conducted among people aged 36 to 61. It appears that 60 to 80% of the patients questioned have already lied to their doctor or in any case, withheld information that was essential about their health., mainly with regard to their diet, their physical activity or the taking of their treatment.
Patients are afraid of their doctor’s gaze
But why do patients lie to their doctors? It seems like fear of being judged or lectured outweighs trust. According to Dr. Angela Fagerlin, lead author of the study, “ most people want their doctor to think highly of them. They fear being labeled as people who don’t make good decisions “.
The problem is that a lie can have consequences on the management of potential pathologies. ” If the doctor does not have all the facts, his opinion will lose precision. And if patients withhold information about what they eat or how they take medication, it will have important consequences for their health. », Explains Doctor Fagerlin.
Aurélie Giraud
To read also: What can we expect from his general practitioner?
