Fans of TV doctor dramas end up ‘scared’ of surgery

tunisante February 7, 2017

Scientists interviewed 162 inpatients due to have surgery about their TV habits
They asked them about the fear and anxiety they felt towards the procedure
One in ten suffered highest degree, and all watched medical TV shows often

Mail on Sunday Reporter

Published:
17:01 EST, 4 February 2017

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Updated:
17:01 EST, 4 February 2017

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TV medical shows such as Holby City could persuade people who are about to have surgery that their operation will be dangerous, according to new research.

Scientists interviewed 162 inpatients due to have surgery and again shortly before discharge. The questions focused on TV habits, in particular patients’ interest in medical shows, and their fear of the procedure they were having.

Half of the respondents reported an anxiety level above four on a scale of 0 to 10. One in ten said they suffered the highest degree of fear – and all of these watched medical TV shows often.

Patients who regularly watch medical dramas are more likely to be fearful of surgery, a study has shown. Above, Grey’s Anatomy

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‘Patients who frequently watch such shows might be induced to believe that even routine operations are often dangerous, which could result in higher levels of fear before such an operation,’ said the report from Minimal Invasiv Center, Hunfeld, Germany, and Paracelsus Medical University in Salzburg, Austria.