Why People Do Not Trust Health Information
Here is the GeriTraK Controversy Corner section.
The place where GeriTraK’s owners can vent.
And we have plenty to vent about given the current state of affairs.
There is just so much rubbish information out there polluting our lives.
Not the stuff blowing around the street or stuck in weeds, but poor, misleading and dangerous information that can affect us and our health very badly.
We are angry and we are not going to take it anymore. We are going to speak out, shine the light on the problems as we see them, and hopefully begin to make a difference.
Honesty. Integrity. Vigilance. Hard work.
Oh, and a loud voice getting louder.
We look forward to you coming along with us as we grow into a force to be reckoned with in the world of health information education.
Our format will be different from what is already out there because what is out there is annoying you, and us.
We will write from experience in healthcare as health professionals with a combined clinical experience of over-over fifty years.
We are not here to provide individual patient care as that is your chosen medical professionals job. We are here to help people ask the right questions by providing information and comment.
The GeriTraK site, including the Controversy Corner section, will be somewhere between an updated health information site for the public, and a reference site for those wishing to look more deeply.
You will see links to web articles we believe further inform the topic we are writing about.
There will be no rush to promote the latest sensation from the news. We wish to consider our opinion before it is provided. There will be no rush to jump on the sensationalized media bus.
There are plans for us to interview leaders in the field and we will post the results. Quality life-changing information is our objective.
So, what are some of the topics that have steam coming out of our ears?
Number one on a long list.
Research findings being misquoted everywhere we look. Conclusions are drawn by some writers of health information that are not only misleading but dangerous.
At GeriTraK, we are very aware of major scandals impacting the healthcare industry and the public. We trust in the system to eventually find the errors and deal with them appropriately.
But we hope to speed the process
How?
By openly commenting on the issues that affect all of us.
By building a group of people, readers, and supporters, who signal to those who can make changes occur that enough is enough.
The news is full of stories about the opioid crisis and how innocent people were misled into prescribing and taking medications that ultimately proved to be a tragedy. Many are no longer with us.
PARADIGM SHIFT NEEDED!!!!!
But the writing was on the wall over thirty years ago. The problem was predictable.
Same happened with asbestos, food industry, unsafe vehicles, water pollution, and has been happening with other medications, hospital errors, surgical implants, other surgical procedures, and general health advice.
All the above-mentioned areas were industries or organizations under the control of regulatory bodies tasked with preventing harm to the community. Eventually, the whistle is blown.
But we are in a mess, with obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and mental illness including dementia, bringing untold cost and misery to many hundreds of thousands of people.
And this has occurred despite massive healthcare cost blowouts, investigations, and strongly argued political debate. Throughout the Western World.
And what is the reaction that has occurred?
People do not trust the system to look after them anymore
At least not until it is too late.
Instead, the alternative healthcare industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar juggernaut with snake oil sold everywhere, including places that should know better. Unproven remedies are dressed up to sound scientific and sold on television every day of the week.
People delay seeing their real health professional because of the empty promises of charlatans in white coats pushing the latest and greatest cure from the ancient civilizations (nearly if not all who are no longer with us).
And most of these people feel better.
For awhile.
Then the effect wears off unless the vendor can keep them on the hook with smooth words and upsells of the next greatest thing.
Meanwhile, an underlying disease could be decreasing their quality and eventually the quantity of life they have left.
GeriTraK Controversy Corner Summary
Heartfelt words, yes. Exactly what is expected for a Controversy Corner.
But we are passionate people, with a great deal of experience. We do not want to see a further progression in so-called lifestyle diseases.
OLD WAYS WON’T CARVE OUT NEW PATHS
No, it has to stop.
The hard part is to have people understand that the best investment in life is to invest in themselves. Relying on a pill, potion or someone else taking control of your outcome can be lessened by taking the control back.
Yes, it is more effort to get up, get moving and avoid the known health undermining temptations pushed by constant advertising and peer pressure.
But it is worth it. You are worth it.
Plus, after a relatively short time, improvement will be felt.
More energy.
Less chance of having the diseases that afflict others.
Less worry the fate of others will be suffered. Keep a clearer head, decrease the risk of depression and anxiety with a likely lessening of the chance of developing dementia.
All of us fear to be unable to look after ourselves, having others in the family or complete strangers attend our needs.
We all fear to lose our mental capacity
GeriTraK is interested in fulfilling our mission to help everyone achieve the best outcome, and we will do so by providing the best information we can find to improve community and government understanding.
We hope you have enjoyed our first Controversy Corner vent.
So, follow us, then join us in getting on track.
GeriTraK. Good To Know.
