Dr Sanjeev Kalra, MD in Neuropsychiatry-Ayurveda, MHA, and an MDBA in Healthcare Leadership and Management. With 18 years of experience primarily in child psychiatry, Dr Kalra currently serves as an Associate Professor, Director of Clinical Training, and Integrative Mental Health Specialist. He asserts the possibility of misinformation leading to health-related anxiety disorder.
When a patient explains to you about their health problems, what are the most common mistakes they make in their communication?
Patients frequently make mistakes while describing their diseases to the doctors. For example, the primary cause of constipation and functional constipation differs. They both have different reasons to emerge at the first place. Most of the time, patients give wrong descriptions of these type of conditions— which is a communication error.
What does health literacy mean to you, and why is it important in patient care?
Health literacy means we should be able to educate and bring awareness to the people that professional help is always there and they deserve the equal, best quality care and with safety.
If a patient is knowledgeable about the basics of their health condition, how helpful is it for the overall treatment procedure?
Yes, it depends upon their (patients) insight and once they understand their own emotions and know about their symptoms they may have, it becomes more easier for the caregivers (healthcare professionals) to treat them with confidence and transparency.
How much can medical misinformation impact treatment procedures?
Medical misinformation can create hypochondriasis in patients who are already dealing with anxiety or have undiagnosed, severe health conditions.
What are the most common myths or misinformation you see your patients falling prey to?
Many patients hold common myths and misinformation, such as believing they possess supernatural powers when, in fact, they may be suffering from mental health conditions.
What is your most common advice to patients to stay away from health misinformation online?
The most common advice I give to my patients is that ‘Google is not everything’, and has the full potential to give you anxiety disorder. I stress the importance of relying on research and evidence-based knowledge and always encourage them to seek professional help whenever and wherever necessary.
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