Study highlights children's misunderstandings of medical terminology

Published in Pediatrics, a new University of Minnesota Medical School study highlights how children interpret common medical phrases, revealing surprising -; and sometimes alarming -; misunderstandings.

The University of Minnesota's Clear Clinical Communication Research Group conducted a study at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair as part of their work to highlight how doctors often use terminology that confuses patients. They examined how children ages 4 to 12 understand commonly used phrases they may encounter in medical settings to identify gaps in comprehension that may cause fear or misunderstanding.

They found: 

• Understanding varied across phrases, with high comprehension for "negative test results" (e.g., COVID-19, strep throat) but low comprehension for phrases like "transfer to the floor" (17%) or "have surgery come see you" (8%), where children thought these phrases meant they would have to sleep on the floor or that they would definitively have surgery.
• Misinterpretations often stemmed from literal interpretations of words, such as children assuming a CAT scan involved actual cats.
• Incorrect responses ranged from benign to potentially distressing interpretations. For example, some children assumed being told they would be "put to sleep" for surgery meant the same thing as when they'd been told their pet was being put to sleep, believing they would never wake up. 

The research team recommends that health care professionals avoid jargon, use developmentally appropriate language, and check in frequently to confirm understanding. 

"Unlike adults, kids may be less likely to speak up or seek clarification, meaning these misinterpretations can become their reality," said Michael Pitt, MD, a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and pediatric hospitalist with M Health Fairview.

This is why it is so important for clinicians to use clear language -; even for seemingly simple terms -; to reduce fear and improve the child's medical experience."

Michael Pitt, Professor, University of Minnesota Medical School

Further studies are needed to explore the ideal phrasing of alternative terms and how developmental stages influence comprehension. The Clear Clinical Communication Research Group plans to conduct additional studies at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair.

This research was funded by the University of Minnesota Medical School Department of Pediatrics and the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences [grant UL1TR002494].