We talk about the concepts of health literacy and “language understandable to the subject” a lot in human subject research. What do subjects, and potential subjects, hear when we use certain terms? This vignette found on Twitter, although it doesn’t relate to research, illustrates the divide between what medical and research staff say, and what patients and subjects understand. This kind of information can be a reminder to us to take extra steps to ensure our message is clear to people who don’t do research all day every day.
I can’t emphasize enough on the importance of making sure our patients actually understand what we’re telling them. I recently met a pt w/ worsening cancer burden that all this time thought she was getting better because her doctors had told her she was “progressing”.
Michelle C. Salazar, MD MHS (@MCSalazarMD), Sept. 8, 2022