Research
How doctors phrase medical advice may shape the choices people make
Earth.com · By Sanjana Gajbhiye ·
The Brief
- Doctors sometimes describe treatments with words such as "likely to help" instead of numbers.
- Without explaining how likely a treatment is to work, verbal wording leaves patients to decide what the words mean.
- The article reports that positive wording can shape the choices people make.
Why it matters
How risks and benefits are worded can change which options patients choose, so the phrasing of medical advice matters as much as the underlying probabilities.
Who’s affected
- patients
- doctors and other clinicians who communicate treatment options
- #medical communication
- #patient decision-making
- #risk communication
- #health
Doctors sometimes use words instead of numbers when giving medical advice. For example, they may say a treatment is “likely to help” without explaining exactly how likely it is to work. This leaves patients to decide what those words mean. Positive wording such as “it is…