B Sharrack1, R A Hughes. 1. Department of Neurology, United Medical School, Guy's Hospital, London.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability and accuracy of distance estimated by doctors and patients. DESIGN: Comparison between estimated and measured distances of six familiar sites around Guy's Hospital, London. SUBJECTS: 100 hospital consultants and 100 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Median (range) of estimated distances, and mean (SD) of the difference between estimated and measured distances. RESULTS: Both doctors and patients gave a wide range of estimates of distance. The estimates differed by up to 14.6-fold from the measured distances, and the difference between minimum and maximum estimates was up to 62.5-fold. CONCLUSION: Doctors and patients were inaccurate at estimating distances, which implies that estimates of distances walked are not reliable indicators of a person's health.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability and accuracy of distance estimated by doctors and patients. DESIGN: Comparison between estimated and measured distances of six familiar sites around Guy's Hospital, London. SUBJECTS: 100 hospital consultants and 100 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Median (range) of estimated distances, and mean (SD) of the difference between estimated and measured distances. RESULTS: Both doctors and patients gave a wide range of estimates of distance. The estimates differed by up to 14.6-fold from the measured distances, and the difference between minimum and maximum estimates was up to 62.5-fold. CONCLUSION: Doctors and patients were inaccurate at estimating distances, which implies that estimates of distances walked are not reliable indicators of a person's health.
Authors: Núria Sola-Valls; Yolanda Blanco; Maria Sepúlveda; Sara Llufriu; Elena H Martínez-Lapiscina; Delon La Puma; Francesc Graus; Pablo Villoslada; Albert Saiz Journal: J Neurol Date: 2015-05-10 Impact factor: 4.849