source: all4myspace.com
It’s raining today and I’m crying in a coffee shop, thinking deep thoughts about the state of the world.
Yesterday I had a long talk with two different friends about the importance of being an informed patient. Specifically when it comes to young women (middle school through college) there is a sad and frightening lack of understanding. N one is teaching little girls how their bodies work, and without understanding they can’t make the best health decisions.
It’s your body. You should be in charge of the decisions made about what happens to it. But how can you do that if no one ever took the time to explain the basics? How can you make good decisions about birth control and safe sex when no one took the time to explain to you what a period is or how pregnancy happens. How can we expect teenagers to stay safe when no one thinks they’re capable of understanding the consequences of their actions?
Boys and girls should be raised to understand how their bodies work and what choices they have when it comes to safe sex and general health. Patients should be encouraged to ask questions about conditions, medications, and procedures.
I’ve had two laparoscopic surgeries, and I could essentially walk you through doing one now. Is it because I’m smarter or more driven? No. It’s because I sought out the information, and I did that because I was raised with the right resources. I had parents who taught me that knowledge was my right. I had teachers who encouraged my questions. I’ve had doctors who happily narrated every visit, checkup, and surgery. It should be that way for everyone.
And there’s more. It’s about more than physical health. It’s time we focus more on raising kids who have the tools to be their best selves in every way possible. That means supporting amazing things like The Trevor Project and It Gets Better.
Totally unconnected, right? I mean how do gay rights movements or teen sexuality support groups, or even suicide prevention movements relate to informed patients?
Here’s the thing. In my experience, and that of most of the doctors and medical students I talk to, patients aren’t informed because they’re intimidated. They hear a lot of doctor speak and don’t really understand what they’re hearing, but they don’t challenge. They don’t want to admit they don’t understand, or they don’t want to interrupt the doctor, or whatever. Although I hope patients do trust their doctors enough to feel that the doctors will make the best decisions even without patient input, patients should make it their business to know every detail. How else can they be sure they’re receiving the best treatment? Doctors are educated, skilled, specialized practitioners. They’re also just people.
Still don’t see how this links to movements like those I mentioned?
What creates the kind of patient who chooses to be informed? What separates me (who endlessly harasses ALL of my doctors with questions about why, how, what, when, where, who) from the average patient, who asks no questions and is dangerously unaware of their own medical history? (Yesterday a 3rd year med student told me she’d seen a patient who reported never having surgery. A physical exam revealed a massive scar running down his chest, which turned out to be from open heart surgery.)
source: marvinhimel.com
What makes the difference? Confidence. People who are indoctrinated from day one with the belief that they have rights. They have worth. They have responsibilities to themselves. Kids who believe that they are free to be their own beautiful selves, as flawed and broken as we all are, are kids who grow up convinced of their right to know, to make their own healthcare choices, to be informed and involved. I believe it’s a direct connection. If I had the resources, I’d study it to find out.
I want my own daughter to grow up truly believing that she can be whatever she wants to be. Gay, straight, doctor, bus driver, painter, engineer, astronaut, kindergarten teacher… what matters is that she grows up believing she has rights to her own health and happiness, and that she understands that everyone else deserves the same rights.
It’s bigger than wanting it only for yourself. It’s granting others the same right to know, thus producing doctors anxious to share the information with their patients in a respectful mutual dialogue. It’s believing that every person has the right to their best self, the healthiest version possible, both mentally and physically.
It is my sincere hope that one day soon I’ll be making a difference in this arena, giving young adults the opportunity to understand the world at their level. I’m more than open to suggestions about making that happen. I envision an outreach program that incorporates health and wellness experts and young people in interactive talks and presentations that make kids feel safe, supported, and understood.
