A survey of over 2,000 patients in the UK has revealed that almost 9 in 10 are confused by medical terms frequently used by healthcare professionals, fuelling health anxieties and creating health inequalities. The YouGov survey, commissioned by Lexacom, asked patients if they could match medical terms commonly used by doctors, such as tachypnoea, dyspnoea, miosis and epiphora with the corresponding health conditions; watery eyes, shortness of breath, pinpoint pupils and rapid, shallow breathing. It found that just 11% overall could correctly identify the right meaning. Dr Andrew Whiteley, MD and founder of Lexacom, explains: “Medical terms describing non-serious issues, which are commonly used in a GP surgery, could cause real alarm to patients. Technology can provide reliable and easy-to-understand health … Continue reading Addressing poor health literacy: 89% of patients are baffled by medical terms, study finds