Know Your Chances: Understanding Health Statistics

by Steven Woloshin, Lisa M. Schwartz, H. Gilbert Welch

Every day we are bombarded by television ads, public service announcements, and media reports warning of dire risks to our health and offering solutions to help us lower those risks. But many of these messages are incomplete, misleading, or exaggerated, leaving the average person misinformed and confused. Know Your Chances is a lively, accessible, and carefully researched book that can help consumers sort through this daily barrage by teaching them how to interpret the numbers behind the messages. In clear and simple steps, the authors―all of them staff physicians at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont―take the mystery out of medical statistics. By learning to understand the medical statistics and knowing what questions to ask, readers will be able to see through the hype and find out what―if any―credible information remains. The book's easy-to-understand charts will help ordinary people put their health concerns into perspective.This short, reader-friendly volume will foster communication between patients and doctors and provide the basic critical-thinking skills necessary for navigating today's confusing health landscape.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Medicine

158 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2008

Reviews

[Tonya Lowery St. John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quick read, but a very cogent introduction to many fundamental principles in epidemiology and risk assessment.

[Jeannine]

Subtitled "Understanding Health Statistics",this book explains the difference between relative risk and absolute risk in a way that almost anyone can understand. It also gives you a list of questions to ask about any medical intervention or screening and factors to consider as you weigh benefits and costs.

The simplicity and repetitiveness of the text are indicative of the authors' sincere desire to change our behavior when faced with a medical issue by arming us with the tools to deflate the claims we hear so much about.

We can all help lower the cost of healthcare by not being duped into unnecessary screenings and treatments. My favorite sentence: "Unfortunately, very few medical interventions reduce the chance of dying from all causes combined."

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the several books on health statistics by the trio of Woloshin, Schwartz, and Welch. In clear, commonsense language, they deconstruct the inaccurate, exaggerated, and misleading use of health statistics that unfortunately plagues the medical media. This books is best for professionals in medicine and meda, but was meant also for those in the general public who want to empower themselves with a clear understanding of health risk and benefit. Once you read this, you will never be bamboozled again by statements like "Drug slashes risk of heart attack by 55%!"

[Ahmad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, but powerful. Great for everyone, including parctitioners.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent quick read for an understanding on how health study statistics are misleading and/or helpful.

[A Ter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty basic/obvious if you have a background or work with statistics, but some useful points unique to health stats.

[Amanda Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, concise and straightforward with lots of valuable information.

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and very readable - explains health statistic in an easy-to-understand manner and gives you the tools to make reasonable decisions about your health. Definitely a keeper! I highly recommend it.

[Gwendolyn B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Largely a review from my college stats course, but nonetheless packed full of helpful reminders. This book belongs in every health care consumer's reference library.

[John (JP)]

142 pages indexed. This a book worth buying. Clearly written using simple math. "The goal of this book is to help understand health information by teaching you how to understand the medical statistics on which the medical claims are based. by learning to understand the numbers and knowing what to ask you will be able to see through the hype and find the credible information if there is any. " The book does this job very well. It can be used by anyone who has ever been sick and needed to make a choice between drugs or needed to decide if a course treatment would be useful. It could also be used by math teachers and science teachers to show how the use math can influence life and death decision making. Buy this book .

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, straightforward, practical presentation of how to evaluate statistical claims for drugs and interventions in health care, written for a wide audience. It covers common ways statistics are used to exaggerate benefits or exaggerate risks (create fear), how to recognize this in ads or news reports, how to evaluate benefits and risks for yourself, and what information you need to gather in order to make an informed decision. Appendix of internet sources for statistical and other medical information is especially helpful.

[Adam Luce · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is great for people who have had little to no experience looking at health messages/statistics criticially. I was hoping for a book which would dive into basics of statistics and common statistical tools without reading like a "text book". unfortunately that is not what this book offers. if you have ever reviewed journal articles or taken courses in the health field, you probably already understand the principles offered here. if you have not had such experience, this is a great read!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that everyone should read. We're constantly bombarded by drug ads, health interventions, etc., but most of us (myself included) don't have the proper background to properly evaluate these statistics. This book fills that need. It's intended for a lay audience, and it delivers on its subtitle, "How to see through the hype in medical news, ads, and public service announcements." Highly recommended.

[Wendi Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good basic explanatory book. Recommended for anyone considering a medical test, drug, or treatment. For better understanding of risks and related data.

After reading this book I looked up risks of colonoscopy. What I learned: make sure that scope is covered with a sheath because they are not completely cleanable!

[Lisa Garza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for understanding the basics of dissecting health statistics. The book is written for anyone, not just health care professionals, and encourages health skepticism of all health claims. This is definitely a book I will be purchasing and referencing in the future.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

A tad condescending if you're already mathematically astute or scientifically aware, but still a useful breakdown of how medical statistics are used and misused.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely written for a lay audience.