Hi MJ,
<< There may be a psychological component here in addition to the x-rays that affect the body. Those who received the x-rays had to undergo the stress of medical appointments and the stress associated with waiting for results and learning the results. >>
I think your point is valid. That could be a factor indeed.
There are a number of reasons leading to such phenomena, and they are indeed fascinating. Some of this has been studied and documented somewhat, but it remains an area deserving of much more investigation because it continues to cause problems. Worse, these problems tend to go unrecognized not because they are so subtle or barely noticeable, but because the mechanisms that could detect and quantify such things are simply not in place in most cases. Nobody is even looking, or thinking to look, either because they think it cannot possibly occur, or because they think it could only be insignificant, or because they are just plain naive and hadn't even considered the possibility. All this is very much exacerbated by the primary motivation and mindset of the vast majority in medicine, both on the professional side, and on the patient side: people are trying very hard to help (or be helped), and they do so with a hopeful mindset that benefit can be given (and received). Problem is, reality has no such bias.
The bottom line in the particular example in question (and many others like it) is that the people receiving screening clearly would have been better off without the screening.
This implies---and indeed, it has been clearly shown---that diagnostic testing of itself carries significant potential for real (not imagined or hypochondriacal) harm. Psychological repercussions are but one source of such harm, but not an insignificant one. And, we know that psychological factors can strongly affect things usually thought to be more "physical" or "biological" (for example the immune system and resistance to infection or the ability to fight infection). Even if you could somehow take out the psychological effects, you would still be left with the same conclusions and the same results. Mostly, I am speaking of overt quantifiable physical harm, but your point is very well taken just the same.
Food for thought, at least....
T |
