We face an onslaught of messages that medical tests and exams will prevent death. From TV ads to social media influencers, the narrative is to get the test. This test will surely save your life. This test will prevent early death. Get the test!
Media messaging can be persistent and persuasive. It can build a sense of urgency, sometimes without us even being aware it is doing so. We can find ourselves compelled to get whatever test or exam that is being discussed.
But how often does the media discuss the many potential harms that can result from tests and exams?
Recent studies show a troubling trend in both mainstream news media and social media.
Mainstream News Media
A recent study looked at more than 1,100 news articles. The study found that while almost all hyped up the benefits, almost two-thirds of them made no mention of potential harms. Of the few stories that mentioned harms, the harms were downplayed.
The authors of the study are concerned that tests and exams conducted on healthy people are turning these healthy people into patients. The problem is overdiagnosis and the subsequent issues that stem from it.
Overdiagnosis and Overtreatment
Overdiagnosis occurs when a test or exam identifies a problem. This could be a tiny, slow-growing cell abnormality. It never would have caused symptoms or death in a person’s lifetime. Or it could be the result of inaccurate test results. Inaccuracies in test results are alarmingly common.
- The Problems: The test picks up something harmless or picks up something in error
- The Consequences: You are labelled with a disease, leading to anxiety, further invasive testing, and, sometimes, unnecessary, harmful treatments (overtreatment).
Yet, overdiagnosis and overtreatment is rarely mentioned in the media stories that encourage us to get screened. Instead, we see sensational headlines about so-called breakthrough tests.
Social Media and the Influencer Influence
The problem is rampant on social media. A study examined 982 Instagram and TikTok posts. It found that 68% of the influencers promoting these tests had financial interests in them. This means they were making money from the tests they were selling as empowering.
87% of the posts about medical tests highlighted the benefits. Less than 15% of them mentioned potential harms. Even more alarming, only 6% of these posts mentioned the risks of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
These posts frequently use personal anecdotes rather than scientific evidence to convince you to act. They create a fear mongering effect, urging healthy people to seek out expensive, unnecessary tests.
As women, we are often on the receiving end of aggressive screening recommendations. It’s time we take a closer look at the aggressive push for us to have more tests and exams.
Why the Media Silences the Downside
If overdiagnosis and overtreatment are major issues, why don’t we hear about it? Researchers found that the media frequently downplays harms and overstates benefits, often because journalists are dealing with a few key constraints:
- “Click Bait” Culture: Headlines about a “revolutionary” new test attract more clicks. In contrast, nuanced stories about the risks of over-testing receive less attention.
- Weak Evidence Behind Hype: Many popular tests are heavily marketed by influencers and companies. These tests include cancer screening, full-body MRIs, AMH “egg timer” tests, and certain genetic tests. However, they often lack strong evidence of net benefit for healthy people.
- The “Early Detection” Myth: We are conditioned to believe that earlier is always better. We are conditioned to believe that catching something early on will lead to better outcomes. Science has shown this to be misleading.
In addition, both journalists and influencers may have some degree of personal gain as a motivating factor in hyping up tests and exams, and in ignoring or downplaying potential harms.
Our Health, Our Choice
Most of us on this site believe in informed choice. We understand that screening is not inherently safe; it carries risks.
- False Positives: Tests that wrongly suggest you have a disease.
- Physical Damage: Invasive follow-up tests (like biopsies) that can cause infections or scarring.
- Psychological Distress: The fear and anxiety caused by being labelled a patient when you are actually healthy.
When you see a headline urging you to get a test, ask: What are the risks of this test? Who is paying for this article, this advertisement, or this media pitch? Is there any evidence that this test will actually improve my life?
We want the full story, not just the marketing pitch. We want to know about the potential harms before we make a choice. And we want to be able to make an informed choice free from coercion.
Media should be used to inform us rather than to act as an extension of medical coercion.
References and Further Reading:
Media is Overhyping Early Detection Tests
Posts about medical tests on social media ‘overwhelmingly’ misleading
Journalists’ views on media coverage of medical tests and overdiagnosis
Overdiagnosis: causes and consequences in primary health care
Social Media Posts About Medical Tests With Potential for Overdiagnosis
forwomenseyesonly 
The fact that influencers and people on social media are pushing this is wild to me. I remember when it wasn’t considered decent to talk about these types of screenings in public. I’m not suggesting a return to that but now the younger generation can have peers they don’t even know screaming at them over social to get a pap smear. Can you imagine? More of them appear to be resisting however than any generation before.
I hate it when there’s a perfect looking woman getting a pap smear on camera then going for ice cream to reward herself for having done something good. She doesn’t know she’s just bought in to the biggest misogynistic money making scam of modern times, but there she is, so confident and perfect that she manages to make me feel like a piece of sh!t wtf?
You show remarkable self-awareness and critical thinking ability. Don’t ever let sanctimonious people make you feel less than you are.
Judy
Not sure why I’m getting down votes on my reply to Anonymous. She seemed to be feeling down on herself and I tried to help her see that she’s a strong, smart woman. Very discouraging. 😞
Judy
Judy your reply was kind, supportive, and caring. It most likely is a glitch with the up/down buttons, which can happen sometimes. There is no other conceivable reason for it to get a thumb down because your comment is not a thumbs down type of comment!
Sue 🥰
Please excuse the long post, but I have kind of an unusual situation and was hoping some others on here could help me figure things out. I’m in the US and have always had a PPO insurance plan. I have had to purchase it through the healthcare marketplace. I chose a PPO because I like having the flexibility and ability to book appointments without needing a referral first.
Unfortunately, this year has been extremely problematic as far as enrolling in and maintaining coverage goes. I qualified for a tax credit/subsidy, which took some of the sting out of the monthly premium price, but it still seemed enormous to me. I don’t qualify for things like Medicaid, but having to pay full price for insurance isn’t really doable, either, at least not longterm.
I signed up for a bronze PPO plan this year through Blue Cross in my state, as my previous plan became much too expensive to afford after last year. Apparently, it had something to do with some Covid-era benefit being done away with by the end of 2025.
I ended up having to go to a lower-level bronze PPO plan with a much higher deductible. My monthly premium still ended up being about $55 more per month than my previous plan. And the only other providers offering PPO plans here aren’t even accepted by healthcare providers or hospitals in my city, which makes them useless.
For reasons I still don’t quite understand, Blue Cross has canceled my coverage three times this year despite the monthly premiums always being paid in full and on time. There have been issues with Blue Cross’ system – or so they claim — and other things going on, and I have had to jump through so many hoops and make so many phone calls to both Blue Cross and the marketplace just to get things corrected.
I find myself in the same pickle yet again and have spent hours on the phone with the marketplace the past couple days and am having to call Blue Cross in the morning — they’re not open on weekends — to try and get them to reinstate my coverage for June. It’s paid for, they sent confirmation of the payment being accepted Friday and I have confirmation from the marketplace that they show I have an active policy with Blue Cross. When I log in to Blue Cross, however, they show no active policy and say my coverage has ended, but give no explanation as to why.
I also have been told by the marketplace that after June, my tax credit will no longer be in place, thus making it necessary to pay full price for my coverage thereafter. Until then, though, I am supposed to be covered at the credited rate and their records show that.
In addition to having to wrangle with Blue Cross tomorrow to get my June coverage reinstated, I now find myself trying to figure out what do as far as coverage goes after June. Paying full price means paying nearly double per month what I’ve been paying until now. I just don’t think it is doable, which mean I am now going to have to consider HMO plans, which re somewhat more affordable.
One of the things worrying me most about an HMO plan is that with them, you have to have a primary care doctor’s referral to see any other type of doctor, physical therapist or whatever. Perhaps I am worrying unnecessarily, but I fear referrals or other care being held hostage if I won’t submit to having a pap or “well woman” exam or whatever. That the primary doc will refuse if I don’t submit or agree to certain things. If that’s the case and the HMO requires prior referral/authorization, then what do I do?