Dr. Bapu Jena, an economist and physician at Harvard Medical School, delves into the chaotic world of panic headlines that influence parenting choices. He discusses how misleading headlines about everyday products often create unnecessary fears among parents. The conversation highlights the critical difference between correlation and causation in research. Jena also explores the biases in scientific studies and the role of media, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking in navigating nutrition research and reassuring parents facing anxiety.
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Flu Shot Birthdays
Bapu Jena's work on flu shots reveals a natural experiment.
Kids with fall birthdays get flu shots at well-visits, impacting flu rates in kids and elderly relatives.
insights INSIGHT
Correlation vs. Causation
Many research headlines present correlation as causation, causing parental anxiety.
Examples include coffee's impact on longevity and ultra-processed foods' link to premature death.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Randomness Check
To assess causality, consider if the choices being studied are random.
Family dinners and school outcomes exemplify non-random choices, making causal links dubious.
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The Hidden Forces That Sway Doctors, Impact Patients, and Shape Our Health
Anupam B. Jena
Christopher Worsham
In 'Random Acts of Medicine,' Anupam B. Jena and Christopher Worsham delve into the unexpected and underappreciated effects of coincidence on health care. The authors use natural experiments—random events that create study-like scenarios—to extract useful data and improve medical practice. They address questions such as whether there is a good time to have a heart attack, whether to choose a veteran or rookie doctor, and whether surgery is always necessary. The book empowers readers to see past the surface of medical practice and understand the hidden forces that shape health care outcomes.
Here at ParentData, we talk a lot about panic headlines. You know, the headlines that cycle through your feed about coffee and wine and sleep and lead and the causes of autism, many of which contradict the last panic headline, and almost all of them turning out to be not nearly as bad as they seem. But in the moment, they feel so scary and urgent. And if you're a parent just trying to follow the science, do what's best for your kid, sometimes it feels like you're being absolutely and really nonsensically bombarded with the wrong things to do.
Today on ParentData, we've invited Dr. Bapu Jena to help us stay sane. Bapu is an economist and a medical doctor who specializes in natural experiments, which means observing human behavior in naturally existing behavior (as opposed to a randomized trial). This makes him an ideal person to talk about the uses and abuses of data, and how curious nerds conduct research that makes its long and winding way into a headline that almost feels like it's designed to scare the crap out of parents. We talk about the complicated relationship between causality and correlation, the academic and popular incentives to publish these kinds of headlines, and also who decides what research is worth sharing with the world.
This is on the face a conversation about research, but really it's about reassurance - there are a lot of reasons behind publishing a story about lead in Cheerios that have nothing to do with you or how dangerous Cheerios actually are or whether you're a good parent who cares about the health and wellbeing of your kids. You are and you do. Don't throw out your Cheerios, but do explore the journey with us.
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ParentData with Emily Oster 