<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The aim of this article was to prepare a basis for further quantitative research concerning the nutritional knowledge of medical professionals (doctors) and dieticians in view of the accuracy of dietary recommendations given to patients. For this purpose, a review of literature data in this area was performed and logical fallacies were proposed as the ‘tool’ that doctors rely on in cases when they lack the proper knowledge required to be able give an informed and beneficial recommendation. In the course of the study, it was found that nutritional education is neglected in medical curricula, while dieticians are underused as professionals in clinical settings. Furthermore, numerous characteristics of the medical profession and the doctor–patient relationship are conducive to committing several types of logical fallacies, prompted mainly by the need for providing advice without delay and the infallibility traditionally expected from doctors. Hence, the gaps in nutritional knowledge and the fallacious character of recommendations, in addition to the re-valuation of the role of the nutritionist, need to be further investigated in order to improve the quality of patient advice in the area of dietary requirements as well as to propose the necessary changes in curricula.</p>
</abstract>

The aim of this article was to prepare a basis for further quantitative research concerning the nutritional knowledge of medical professionals (doctors) and dieticians in view of the accuracy of dietary recommendations given to patients. For this purpose, a review of literature data in this area was performed and logical fallacies were proposed as the ‘tool’ that doctors rely on in cases when they lack the proper knowledge required to be able give an informed and beneficial recommendation. In the course of the study, it was found that nutritional education is neglected in medical curricula, while dieticians are underused as professionals in clinical settings. Furthermore, numerous characteristics of the medical profession and the doctor–patient relationship are conducive to committing several types of logical fallacies, prompted mainly by the need for providing advice without delay and the infallibility traditionally expected from doctors. Hence, the gaps in nutritional knowledge and the fallacious character of recommendations, in addition to the re-valuation of the role of the nutritionist, need to be further investigated in order to improve the quality of patient advice in the area of dietary requirements as well as to propose the necessary changes in curricula.

Logical Fallacies as a Possible Source of Misconceptions and Inadequate Patient Recommendations Given by Medical Professionals – A Preliminary Review

Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics

Doctoral Studies Medical University of Bialystok

Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The aim of this article was to prepare a basis for further quantitative research concerning the nutritional knowledge of medical professionals (doctors) and...

Logical Fallacies as a Possible Source of Misconceptions and Inadequate Patient Recommendations Given by Medical Professionals – A Preliminary Review

Published Online: Dec 30, 2022

Page range: 127 - 137

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/slgr-2022-0007

Keywords
logical fallacies, nutritionists, dietary recommendations, study programmes

© 2022 Michał Pawłowski et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Logical Fallacies as a Possible Source of Misconceptions and Inadequate Patient Recommendations Given by Medical Professionals – A Preliminary Review

Published Online: Dec 30, 2022

Page range: 127 - 137

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/slgr-2022-0007

Keywordslogical fallacies, nutritionists, dietary recommendations, study programmes

© 2022 Michał Pawłowski et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
logical fallacies, nutritionists, dietary recommendations, study programmes