Healthy Skepticism Library item: 9053

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: book

Irwig J, Irwig L, Sweet M.
Smart Health Choices: How to make informed health decisions
Sydney: Allen & Unwin 1999
http://www.allenandunwin.com/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?ISBN=9781865081465

Abstract:

Description : A guide to seeking and assessing health advice from many sources.

How can you be sure your doctor’s advice is right for you? Do you know that many treatments and tests-mainstream and alternative-are not supported by good evidence, and might in fact be dangerous?

Whether you are considering taking vitamin supplements or having surgery, you need to know the effectiveness of the options and their side-effects. You need to know what questions to ask your practitioner and how to interpret the answers
and you need to know when and where to find more information. Smart Health Choices shows you how.

Smart Health Choices provides the tools for assessing health advice whether it comes from a specialist, general practitioner, naturopath, the media, the Internet or a friend. It shows you how to take an active role in your health care, and to make the best decisions for you and your loved ones based on personal preferences and the best available evidence.

‘Evidence-based medicine is increasingly important to consumers. Understanding how to get and use the evidence is a must for consumers. This guide will help consumers take control over decisions about their treatment-in an informed way.’

Louise Sylvan, CEO, Australian Consumers’ Association

For more information about this book look at its website: http://www.health.usyd.edu.au/smarthealthchoices/

Table of Contents :
About the Authors

Acknowledgments

Introduction: This book could save your life

How to use this book

Part One: Health advice can be harmful

1 Be sceptical

2 Bad evidence

3 Don’t always rely on the experts

Part Two: Your body, your choice

4 Choosing a practitioner

5 Taking control of your health

Part Three: Stories Vs Studies

6 An education in shopping

7 The weakness of one

8 The power of many

Part Four: Evaluating the evidence

9 Judging which interventions really work

10 What makes you sick

Part Five: Imrpoving your health care

11 Finding the best evidence

12 Doing your bit

13 And finally…

Appendices

Useful Contacts

Glossary

Further Reading

References

Index

About the Author : Judy Irwig is a songwriter. Les Irwig Bsc, PhD, MBBCh, FFPHM is Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Sydney and an internationally renowned expert on evidence-based medicine. Melissa Sweet is a journalist who has been reporting on health and medical issues for a decade and is currently writing for The Bulletin and Australian Doctor.

Notes:

Evidence based medicine for the general public