Myths & fallacies about health & disease among patients presenting to family physicians at the Aga Khan University hospital Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: To study the myths and fallacies about health and disease among patients presenting to Family Physicians, at a teaching hospital in Karachi. Study Design: Questionnaire based survey Setting: Family practice clinic, the Aga Khan University hospital, Karachi Main outcome measures: Myth and fallacy about health and disease held, not held or not sure. Results: The number of respondents was 388. The study population was young, well educated and socio-economically better placed. Myths surveyed included whether breast-feeding be stopped in a child with diarrhea, antibiotics be taken with milk, use of inhalers be avoided in Asthma, Insulin use be avoided in Diabetes, epilepsy and tuberculosis are caused by evil spirits and stress, milk should not be consumed after eating fish, dental extraction from upper jaw leads to reduced vision, cancer can spread through close personal contact and is not preventable and that white spots on face are caused by calcium and iron deficiency. Conclusions: Substantial myths and fallacies exist about health and disease in the Pakistani society. We recommend further studies and health education programs in this area.