Dr Yash Mittal is an ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon with a Diploma in Allergy and Asthma. He is also a Board-Certified Vertigo and Balance Disorders Specialist. Dr Mittal completed his MBBS from AIIMS, New Delhi, and his MS in ENT from AIIMS, Bhubaneswar. He is a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
His areas of expertise include ear and nose surgeries, as well as the surgical management of head and neck cancers. He has received advanced training from AIIMS, New Delhi, and AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, and has previously worked at Medanta – The Medicity, Gurugram.
In an interview with THIP Media, Dr Mittal concerns about self-diagnosis or through online tools that often leads to unnecessary panic.
When a patient explains to you about their health problems, what are the most common mistakes they make in their communication?
The most common mistakes include omitting essential details about the nature and characteristics of their symptoms. Additionally, preconceived notions about diagnoses and treatments often hinder their understanding of the basic pathophysiology of their condition.
What does health literacy mean to you, and why is it important in patient care?
Health literacy is the ability to understand and evaluate your own health concerns and take appropriate action when necessary. It involves recognizing symptoms that may be potentially serious or harmful. In patient care, health literacy plays a vital role in assessing how effectively a treatment is impacting the disease.
If a patient is knowledgeable about the basics of their health condition, how helpful is it for the overall treatment procedure?
When patients are knowledgeable about the basics of their health conditions, it makes the clinician’s job much easier. A patient who understands the mechanism of their disease is generally more receptive to treatment. They are also better informed about the prognosis or course of their condition, which helps in setting realistic expectations for their recovery.
How much can medical misinformation impact treatment procedures?
Medical misinformation significantly impacts treatment outcomes. Many patients reach hospitals late because they first rely on unproven or misleading treatment methods, which not only fail to provide any real benefit but often worsen their condition.
What are the most common myths or misinformation you see your patients falling prey to?
The type of myths and misinformation often depends on the disease. For example, patients at risk of cancer due to smoking or tobacco use sometimes believe that quitting a few years ago completely eliminates their risk of developing cancer.
Similarly, a patient with an allergy to a particular food item may assume that avoiding the food for a few months will “cure” their allergy, which is not the case.
Another common misunderstanding is seen in patients using hearing aids. Some believe that using a hearing aid for a few months will fully restore their hearing, after which they can stop using the device.
What is your most common advice to patients to stay away from health misinformation online?
The most common advice I give my patients is to rely only on official and credible health information sources. Always follow your clinician’s guidance and consult recognized medical guidelines for treatment, but only after a proper diagnosis has been made. Self-diagnosis using Google, ChatGPT, or other online tools often leads to unnecessary panic and misinformation.
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