I’m sick of awareness campaigns

Copperfield reflects on awareness campaigns following Sir Chris Hoy’s terminal diagnosis of prostate cancer

‘We no longer need to raise awareness of this disease.’ Said no one, ever. Shame, really. That’s why we’re in the midst of another prostate panic. Of course, we’re all desperately sorry for Sir Chris Hoy. But is there really any man out there not already hyper-aware of his prostate and its traitorousness?

Not that it stops there. Menopause awareness, mental health awareness et al. leaves everyone over-informed and assuming quasi-expert status. And a little knowledge etc.

Hence, we have the suggestion that prostate screening – a unique programme in that it doesn’t technically exist unless the patient wants it to – is expanded to age 45, which absolutely would seem a no-brainer to any sufferer, but of course is not that simple. And women attributing every peri-50 event – from head fog to a sprained ankle to lost car keys – to the menopause, and knowing the form and escalating dose of hormones they need to solve it all. And young people or their families pathologizing normal emotions or personality traits into mental illness requiring ‘therapy’.

One disadvantage of this awareness obsession is that it focuses on the same old, same old, with other significant illnesses drowned out by all the ritualistic tub-thumping. Where are the awareness campaigns for inflammatory bowel disease, which is awful and serious but has no constitutional urgent pathway; or cardiac failure, which has a worse prognosis than most cancers; or Parkinson’s, which is devastating and difficult to diagnose?

Presumably these pathologies just don’t have the requisite charity/pharma/emotive clout. Which is a pity because they’d at least add some variety to medical campaigning headlines.

But the main flaw inherent in uber-awareness is the ruinous effect it has on the public. Good health is supplanted by a neurotic hyper-vigilance that your body is about to sabotage you. If you’re not health phobic, you’re probably not sentient, and I’d get that checked if I were you.

So if we can’t stop awareness campaigns, maybe we should adopt a more upbeat tone. For example, how many patients realise that most symptoms – outside the barn-door obviously life-threatening, recognisable even to health illiterates – are minor, harmless and self-limiting? And that it’s not gross health negligence to give them at least five minutes before gatecrashing our emergency surgeries? Headline: You Can Be Too Careful.

Until then, we’ll just have to continue pondering, if awareness is about improving longevity, why does it make us GPs lose the will to live? Actually, is anyone aware of that?

Dr Tony Copperfield is a GP in Essex.