Research shows they’re a good way to change health behaviours.
Changing your patients’ health behaviours is the holy grail, and now there’s some good evidence for a very simple prescription: podcasts.
Everybody’s making one. Almost everyone is listening. And it shouldn’t be surprising that a voice in your ear while you walk the dog, garden, exercise and lie in bed might be quite influential.
Researchers from the University of South Australia and the University of Newcastle have completed a scoping review of 38 peer-reviewed studies involving people aged 12-79, listening to podcasts ranging from 30 seconds to 24 minutes.
The studies showed that individuals underwent statistically significant improvements in health monitoring, behaviours, attitudes, knowledge, chronic disease management, maternal health and behaviour as a result of listening to health podcasts.
Results were mixed for physical activity, nutrition and weight change, and none were observed for depression and anxiety in these studies.
With a podcast prescription, adherence is not a problem, with figures showing engagement rates of 62-83% and an average listening time of 103-124 minutes per week.
“There was high satisfaction, trust and appreciation for podcasts that effectively blended personal anecdotes with reliable medical information,” the authors write.
A few good podcasts
As noted in the paper, anyone can make a podcast.
“In terms of things to avoid there’s three key factors: misinformation and pseudoscience, unqualified hosts and sensationalism,” one of the researchers, Ms Bethany Robins from University of South Australia, told GR.
There are too many of podcasts like that to list.
Ms Robins and Dr Ben Singh, also from the University of South Australia, have made these personal recommendations for you, our readers, to recommend to patients.
- The ATP Project’s Podcast (GR notes that this is brought to you by a supplements manufacturer)
- TED Health
- The Imperfects Podcast
- What’s That Rash
- All in the Mind
“The podcasts Clinical Conversations (NEJM) and JAMA are aimed at a more clinical population,” Ms Robins added. “However, many of the general population may also find them interesting and engaging.”
