How Do We ‘Trust the Science’ in an Age of Misinformation?

Doctors Tyra Fainstad and Adrienne Mann had heard stories about physician burnout before launching their careers in 2011. It wasn’t long before the national crisis became personal, however, as the young doctors and new mothers both struggled with work-life balance, self-criticism and other challenges. In 2019, an idea sparked that would offer healthcare professionals a path toward better life balance and work satisfaction. On this episode of Health Science Radio, Fainstad and Mann talk about their fast-growing physician-coaching program and the systemic drivers behind the burnout crisis.

Pornography has never been easier to access and consume. While experts don’t agree on labeling its problematic use as “addiction,” its use targets the same areas of the brain as substances. And its use can be detrimental to health and well-being. We’re joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Danielle Sukenik, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She shares what the research says about the problematic use of pornography – and the impact its use has on the individuals and couples she sees in practice. You'll also hear what researchers know about the impact pornography has on the developing brain. 

More than 1 in 10 adults over age 50 experience knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, and about 1 in 25 will go on to have knee replacement surgery. As our population ages, cases of osteoarthritis are expected to climb, meaning even more patients facing the prospect of knee replacement and rehabilitation. This episode of Health Science Radio features Jennifer Stevens-Lapsley, PT, PhD, FAPTA, professor of physical therapy and executive director of the RESTORE team at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Stevens-Lapsley talks about what’s involved in arthroplasty of the knee and how patients can best heal and recover muscle strength after surgery. She also discusses a clinical trial that will measurethe outcomes of using neuromuscular electrical stimulation as part of theknee replacement surgery rehabilitation process in 30 clinics in Coloradoand Utah. 

Fueled by emotion-driven and easily shared social media, the current waves of online misinformation casting doubt on science have grown in size, frequency and intensity. This episode of Health Science Radio features two guests from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus who are passionate about preventing and reversing the trend: Aimee Bernard, PhD, associate professor of immunology and microbiology, and Laura Scherer, PhD, associate professor of medicine in the cardiology division. Both Bernard and Scherer are faculty members at the CU School of Medicine. They discuss sources of misinformation, how it is disseminated, the challenges of social influencers and predatory journals, as well as nuanced strategies all science communicators can consider to help rebuild trust in science.Studies referenced in this episode: Authenticity in science communication:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0226711Reducing conspiracy beliefs with AI:https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.adq1814Accuracy nudge intervention:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0956797620939054Who is susceptible to health misinformation:https://wp.demetra.rs/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/hea-hea0000978.pdfPreprint reporting on a test of different misinformation interventions with 30,000+ people:

As a teenager, Joshua Gowin, PhD, remembers sitting through DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) classes and watching those frying pan-focused public service announcements: “This is your brain on drugs.” Gowin, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, is the lead author on a recent study published in JAMA Network Open that explored the effects of both recent and lifetime cannabis use on brain function during cognitive tasks, including working memory. The study is the largest of its kind, examining the effects of cannabis use on over 1,000 young adults aged 22 to 36 using brain imaging technology. What were the study’s findings and where is Gowin’s research headed next? Listen to this episode of Health Science Radio to find out.

 Colorectal cancer has been upending the lives of younger people at disturbing rates in recent years, becoming the second most common type of cancer in people under age 50 in the U.S. today. By 2030, deaths are expected to double, and the disease is predicted to jump to the leading cause of cancer death in 20- to 49-year-olds. On this episode, we talk about epidemiological factors behind the rise in cases, the age groups affected, symptoms people should be paying attention to, preventative screening options, and where the research is going to try to reverse this alarming trend. Our guest is Swati Patel, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk and Prevention Center. 

 With mounting evidence about the dangers of alcohol to our health, just what is the impact of alcohol on cancer risk? On cardiovascular risk? On overall mortality? Those questions are answered on this episode of Health Science Radio, which features two University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus professors discussing the latest studies on alcohol and health. The two doctors also talk about the changing patterns of alcohol consumption, current definitions of what constitutes a drink, their own internal conversations about alcohol and the need for more research. 

How the human body reacts to the transition to deep-space travel – and then adapts, or doesn’t, to lengthy periods in a microgravity environment – remains a largely understudied area. Our guest, Prem Subramanian, MD, PhD, chief of neuro-ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, talks about how space travel, including long-duration spaceflight, affects the eyes and how advancements in neuro-ophthalmology are helping astronauts. He also discusses treatments for thyroid eye disease and strabismus and shares research that seeks to understand eye issues in patients who’ve suffered from multiple traumatic brain injuries.

The fact that men and women are not the same is no longer completely overlooked in the medical world. Diseases, such as heart attacks, can present differently. Yet, an absence of research that includes women prior to the early 1990s has left studies into women’s health largely in “catch-up” mode. Our guest is Judy Regensteiner, PhD, director and co-founder of the Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The center has become a national leader in conducting research across the span of women’s lives, especially in the areas of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health.

Influenza season is ramping up, SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continue to evolve, and the bird flu outbreak is gaining steam in the United States. Against this ever-changing landscape of infectious disease, this episode centers on viruses and vaccines. Our guest is Jenna Guthmiller, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Guthmiller discusses the H5N1 outbreak, evolving viruses, the history of pandemics and the potential for a universal vaccine.