Why Physicians Don't Trust Scientific Evidence
Author Information
Author(s): Miho Sekimoto, Yuichi Imanaka, Nobuko Kitano, Tatsuro Ishizaki, Osamu Takahashi
Primary Institution: Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Why do physicians not change their clinical practices despite scientific evidence suggesting the ineffectiveness of certain treatments?
Conclusion
Physicians often prescribe treatments without expecting significant effectiveness, indicating that scientific evidence alone does not easily change their clinical practices.
Supporting Evidence
- Most physicians reported never witnessing objective effectiveness of cataract eye drops.
- Physicians prescribed eye drops mainly to satisfy patient requests.
- Many physicians felt uncomfortable explaining the lack of evidence to patients.
Takeaway
Doctors sometimes give patients eye drops for cataracts even if they don't think they work well, because patients ask for them and it helps keep them happy.
Methodology
Qualitative study using grounded theory with interviews of 35 ophthalmologists and 3 general practitioners.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from self-reported prescribing behaviors and perceptions.
Limitations
The study may not represent all physicians' views and is limited to a specific treatment context.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 35 ophthalmologists and 3 general practitioners from various medical settings in Japan.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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