How Well Do You Know Your Body?

How well do you know your body? Can you tell where your major organs are, such as your heart or lungs? If you’re like the general public, chances are you don’t know, even if you think you do.

Sounds odd? Researchers thought so too. They figured that with the ever-present Internet and the advances in education, people would be more knowledgeable about their bodies. To prove their theory, the studies 722 people who were asked to identify the locations of various organs. The participants looked at a diagram of male or female bodies and there were areas that were shaded. The participants were then asked to identify which organ belonged in which shaded area.

To the researchers’ surprise, although almost 86% could identify where the intestines were and over 80% could identify the bladder, only 46.5% could tell you where the heart is and only 31.4% could tell you about the lungs.

Why is this type of study and information important? A knowledgeable patient can discuss his or her health with the doctors and other healthcare professionals. Someone who isn’t aware of where certain body parts are may misidentify a problem, leading doctors to investigate the wrong part of the body, or the patients may not understand the doctors’ explanations and rationale, putting treatment at risk. Patients who understand what’s happening to them tend to be more compliant and accepting of medical treatment.

The study was published in the on-line BMC Family Practice .

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