What parents can learn from the books their children read

The New York Times Well column had an article today about what parents can learn about the lives and thoughts of their children from a popular book series. The article highlights the series Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The books talk about the regular struggles of a regular kid, a kid to whom readers can relate. The stories give insight into how a child struggles internally with issues of fairness and ethics and relates how a child works through these dilemmas, not how an adult thinks a child should work through them.

For many families, the books are serving as a catalyst of discussion between parents and children. What other books might help spur family communication?

The potential trouble with novels and eating disorders

The New York Times Well blog had an intriguing post about the influence novels may play in giving young people ideas about anorexia. Girls with anorexia, or teetering on the edge of anorexia, may look at books that portray the horrifying consequences of anorexia as inspirational rather than precautionary. The literary detail may even function as a how-to guide.

No one thinks that someone would pick up a book like the reviewed Wintergirls and decide that anorexia is glamorous and decide to try it. There are likely a host of other psychological issues at play in those with eating disorders. But if someone with those psychological issues picks up that same book, could it be a trigger? Can these stories be told any other way?

You can find the review of the new book Wintergirls here and a discussion on Well here.

inside perspectives on being a patient

The New York Times reviewed a new book about an inside perspective on what it's like to be a patient in public and private mental hospitals in this country. While the review is interesting, what's even more illuminating was the historical perspective that the reviewer mentioned in her review: the adventures of intrepid reporter Nellie Bly. Nellie Bly went undercover and had herself committed to a mental institution in 1887 for the purpose of doing an investigative piece on what really went on in such institutions. Her reporting on the horrors of mental hospitals of that time scandalized people and ultimately was responsible for many reforms in hospital treatment and conditions. You can read Nellie's account at the Penn Digital library here.

What it means to be well

Dr. Abigail Zugar compares and contrasts to doctors' books on health and wellness in today's New York Times. The two books offer close to an opposite approach to health; one advocating screening tests and careful monitoring of the body's systems and the other advocating that the over-medicating of relatively minor problems is causing more harm than good.

Dr. Zugar points out that the contrast points to a discussion about what exactly is wellness? Is wellness the complete removal of disease or is it learning to cope with illnesses without becoming a perpetual patient? What is the emotional toll of always thinking, or even worrying, about health and illness?

Thought-provoking reading: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/health/24book.html?ex=1372046400&en=8feef82ac9684dd2&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink.

Why does a doctor need good communication skills?

One of the first things I did when I started my job at the Medical College was to check out the library's selection of books on communication. There were of course a selection of books on topics such health communication case studies and media campaigns as an important element of public health. But many of the communication books targeted at doctors make the argument that effective communication lowers the risk of malpractice lawsuits. It's true of course. People generally don't sue doctors they trust and people generally trust doctors who are effective and empathic communicators. But is that the reason we want and need doctors to be better communicators? Don't we want doctors to be better communicators so they will provide better care?

I imagine I am not the only communication scholar who feels conflicted about this. We know that many physicians are kind empathic people who want to do what is best for patients. And physicians want their patients to understand what they need to know to improve their own health. But let's face it, in this era of managed care and our litigious society, the best way to get a physician's attention is to say "Hey, do this, be a better communicator and you'll have less of a chance of getting sued!" Besides, these books do offer some practical tips, if a bit simplistic. Anything that gets physicians to think twice about their communication skills should be welcomed.