Football may influence when patients see a doctor

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7389.600/b

BMJ 2003;326:600 ( 15 March )

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Football may influence when patients see a doctor

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EDITOR $---$ Psychological or emotional stress is often suggested as a cause of disease. In dermatology stress is sometimes citedas a cause of diseases such as psoriasis. The biological causalityof such correlations is not always immediately apparent, and stressmay have many psychological effects. In chronic diseases it alsooffers a sense of consolation and explanation, which helps patientscope.

An important source of error seems not to have been taken into account in the study by Carroll et al on football and myocardialinfarction.¹ Delay in seeking medical treatment for myocardialinfarction is an important variable.² On the basis of personalexperience as a medical house officer in 1986 when Denmark participatedin the World Cup finals, I think that simple delay is an importantfactor in any increased mortality from cardiovascular events atsuchtimes.

The emergency rooms were notably empty during all matches, and patients reappeared . . . [Full text of this article]

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