Last week Facebook added an “educational tool” to help users
spot fake news. This tool is actually a list of tips that include guidelines
such as “investigate the source.” While these tips can also be useful when
assessing the legitimacy of academic papers, it can be considerably more
difficult to assess the legitimacy of the findings in an academic paper. In
fact, “studies” in and of themselves can lead to problems by giving an air of
legitimacy when cited later. This can lead to the spreading of “fake news” even
when the study is legitimate. When presented by a TV doctor or a local radio DJ
many of the nuances, footnotes and details get lost.
One recent case of this was a study on the correlation
between birth control and depression. This study made national headlines. CNN
ran “Birth Control Linked to Depression, New Study Says” while the Washington
Post printed, “’It’s not in your head’: Striking new study links birth control
and depression.” As the Washington Post article insinuates, for many women this
simply confirmed something they “already knew.” (7. Check the evidence.)
As both of these articles properly assess, this study
published in JAMA Psychiatry entitled, “Association of Hormonal Contraception
with Depression” found a “link” between depression and birth control. However,
that’s not what many heard. As my local radio DJ put it, “Are you sad? It may
be your birth control. That’s right! Researchers have found that birth control
can cause depression.” (1. Be skeptical of headlines.)
However, that’s not what was found. In the actual study, a
cohort of over a million Danish women of childbearing age were monitored for
both birth control and antidepressant use for 18 years. After the study, rates
of antidepressant use was compared in birth control users and non-users. Researchers
found higher levels of antidepressant prescriptions in birth control users.
However, they do not conclude that birth control causes depression. In fact,
there are many other factors that could be the cause of this association.
Perhaps women who are willing to go on one drug are more likely to go on
another. Or, perhaps children are truly the source of all happiness and that is
truly the cause of these women’s depression.
Dr. Aaron Carroll recently published an article in the New
York Times entitled, “Birth Control Causes Depression? Not So Fast” which
raised other, different, concerns. He acknowledges that many prior studies
found no such association and that one study that does find a correlation does
not cancel out the others. (8. Look at other reports.) He also raises another fear
that this could lead to us questioning the use of hormonal birth control which
he credits for one of the “biggest American public health victories” the
lowered teen birthrate.
