The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks
Product Type: eBooks
Product Price: $89.95
Manufacturer: Springer Verlag
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Description
The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks peels away the "veneer of certainty" which many of us attach to health risk and benefit information given to us in our daily lives. It was written and designed primarily to assist the public in comprehending and interpreting the uncertainty associated with the overwhelming amount of information on medical and environmental health risks. The book uses unique, visual presentations and case studies to explain the benefits of medical screening tests (e.g., mammography, prostate and colorectal cancer screening, cholesterol screening) and drugs (e.g., statins, Vioxxâ„¢) and the risks associated with exposure to environmental contaminants (e.g., lead, dioxin, radon). This book will help patients and their families get more involved in making medical decisions, and citizens face critical questions about the environment. By putting the complexities of risk analysis in terms the general public can relate to, the authors are empowering people to make well-informed decisions.
About the Authors:
Erik Rifkin is the president of an environmental consulting firm that specializes in the characterization of ecological and human health risks from exposure to soil, water, air and sediments. His firm provides assistance and guidance to federal and state regulatory agencies and corporations regarding the nature and magnitude of environmental risks and potential remediation strategies. Dr. Rifkin's broad experience includes the communication of health risks and benefits to groups concerned with these issues.
Edward J. Bouwer is Professor of Environmental Engineering at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He has extensive experience with water and soil pollution and treatment. His research provides guidance on defining and managing environmental risks and how to interpret human and ecological health risk data. Dr. Bouwer has served on several National Research Council committees that provide guidance on managing human and ecological risk
Guest Author Bob Sheff, MD, received his medical training as a radiologist at UCLA and Johns Hopkins Medical Center. He spent his career praticing medicine and running one of the largest medical managed-care systems in the U.S. Now semi-retired, he devotes his time to helping non-profit organizations and individual people address their medical concerns. He lives in Columbia, Maryland.
Written for: Undergraduate, graduate, medical and nursing students, engineers, government advisory agencies, research scientists, lawyers, politicians and anyone interested in risk analysis and the interpretation of risk values.
Reviews
Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2008-05-23
Summary: "The illusion of certainty"
This book give me a new insight how to evaluate the invidual versus the population risk. The same data with the theater representation can be very usfull for individual decision
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2008-05-03
Summary: "To anyone who may have to be making some risky decisions on their own health in the future."
Empowering people to make well informed decisions about their health is the goal of Dr. Erik Rifkin & Dr. Edward Bouwer in their new book "The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks." Risk Characterization Theater is a unique graphic which informs the reader with an objective view of the pros and cons of each treatment in simple terms that anyone can understand. "The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks" is highly recommended to medical and health community library collections alike and to anyone who may have to be making some risky decisions on their own health in the future.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2007-11-19
Summary: "One thing for certain, this book is a 'must-read'"
"Can a book make you smarter? Perhaps not, but "Illusion of Certainty" can certainly help you make smarter decisions--especially when it comes to health choices." (from our review of this book at LifeTwo.com).
This book should be required reading for policy makers, doctors, and especially journalists covering health and environmental matters. Perhaps the biggest beneficiaries however are people trying to make informed decisions involving their personal health. By exposing the bias that exists in the system against communicating risk as well as the reliance on "relative" risks/benefits over "absolute" risks/benefits, it is easy to see why it seems the answer to every problem is a drug prescription.
The book does an outstanding job of establishing a theoretical basis for their premise and then walking the readers through example after example of its application.
Can't say enough good things about this book.
Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2007-07-25
Summary: "The Illusion of Certainty"
This thought-provoking book is both a "should and must-read" book for anyone who makes decisions or considers the advice and recommendations of others. The compelling logic regarding the subjects supported by scientific facts is substantial. It will provide an impetus to the reader to consider life-changing decisions.