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							<p>A summary of the main takeaway lessons for this module might be:</p>
							
							<ol>
								<li>When you are talking about your research, you should stick to the facts and what you know based on the methods and best practices for your field of research</li>
								<li>When you are advocating for a course of action, you should clearly distinguish research-based facts from personal opinions</li>
								<li>Understand and take into consideration the social consequences of your research as you plan it. </li>
							</ol>
							
							<p>While these might seem like obvious lessons that can be followed easily, we close this module with two short cases that suggest how communication and advocacy (as well as serving your institution, your professional organisation and society) can be more complicated than expected.</p>
							
							<instructional-text class="non-interactive-swap-out"><p>Work through the situation presented in the scenario below to reflect on the complexities inherent in working in the research sphere.</p></instructional-text>
							<instructional-text-accessible class="non-interactive-swap-in"><p>In the following activity, work through the situation presented in the scenario to reflect on the complexities inherent in working in the research sphere.</p></instructional-text-accessible>
							
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								<action-panel panel="0">
									<action-question>
										<h4>An unexpected opportunity</h4>
										<p>Your head of department, who is also an officer in your professional association, drops by one day to ask for a favour. The society is planning to sponsor a panel discussion at the next annual meeting on ways to reduce pressure and competition in postgraduate and postdoctoral studies. They would like to have a few graduate students and postdocs on the panel. They present the following offer:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>"This will be a great opportunity to meet other young researchers in our field and provide your thoughts on some of the pressures new researchers seem to feel. It would also be a great chance to have our department recognised more broadly for everything we are doing to reduce pressure. Can I count on your participation? We will, of course, cover your expenses."</em></p></text-block>
										<p><strong>Would you agree to participate?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>Yes</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="5"><p>No</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="6"><p>I would need more information</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 2 -->
								<action-panel panel="1">
									<action-question>
										<p>To prepare for the session, you set aside time to talk with some of your peers to get their views on what you should say. Despite the changes that have been made, there is still some unhealthy competition in your department. Not everyone gets along as well as they should. Overall, there seem to be three schools of thought on how you ought to frame your presentation:</p>
										<ol>
											<li>Talk about the changes that have been made and the positive effect they have had</li>
											<li>Be honest about the problems that still exist and their impact on department morale</li>
											<li>Briefly talk about the changes and some of the problems that still exist.</li>
										</ol>
										<p><strong>Which approach would you take?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="2"><p>Option 1</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>Option 2</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="4"><p>Option 3</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 3 -->
								<action-panel panel="2">
									<action-question>
										<p>After your presentation, one of your peers (who recommended being honest about the problems that still exist) pulls you aside and asks why you weren't honest:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>"If we don't say anything, there will be no serious change. They can't reduce the number of positions offered. They need us to keep their research programmes going. We do all the work and they get the credit. Do you know that our head of department, who is making these changes, allegedly to reduce pressure and competition, also routinely finds a way to be named as an author without meeting any of the authorship criteria? You just threw away a great opportunity to bring about some meaningful change."</em></p></text-block>
										<p><strong>How would you respond to your colleague?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Apologise, but explain that you were worried about your future status in the department if you spoke out too strongly</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Explain that you felt a public gathering was not the proper place to talk about department issues</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Thank your colleague for the feedback and say that it will give you something to think about the next time you are part of a panel discussion</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 4 -->
								<action-panel panel="3">
									<action-question>
										<p>After the panel members give their presentations, one of the senior members of the panel objects strongly to the negative view of postgraduate and postdoctoral studies that you presented:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>"Who are these students you referred to? What do you mean by unfair competition?  Research is competitive. Those who are not qualified to be first-rate researchers will always complain that the system is not fair. Besides, raising these issues in public doesn't help our area of research. The funders are always looking for excuses to cut research funding in controversial areas."</em></p></text-block>
										<p><strong>How would you respond to your indignant colleague, who might eventually peer review one of your manuscripts or grant applications?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Apologise if your talk seemed overly negative, but suggest that you were encouraged to speak about challenges</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Suggest that the senior colleague might not know what it is like to be a postgraduate student or postdoc today</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Thank your colleague for the feedback and add that it will give you something to think about the next time you are part of a panel discussion</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 5 -->
								<action-panel panel="4">
									<action-question>
										<p>After the panel members give their presentations, a member of the audience stands up and asks you a question:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>"Your comments gave us things to think about on both sides of the issue, but what do you really think? I am thinking of pursuing a career in research, but have been warned that the competition can be fierce, so fierce that more and more researchers seem to cheat."</em></p></text-block>
										<p><strong>How would you respond to a would-be research student?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Explain how you feel about your position but say you cannot speak for others</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Provide an honest assessment, at the risk of alienating one side or the other</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Thank the would-be researcher for posing a challenging question and suggest that, to save time, it might be best to meet after the panel to discuss further</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 6 -->
								<action-panel panel="5">
									<action-question>
										<p>Two days later, you drop in for a chat with your supervisor, who shuts the door as soon as you sit down:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>"I heard you turned down the head of department's invitation to participate in a panel discussion on the steps we have taken to reduce pressure on postgraduate students and postdocs. Are you sure that was a wise decision? Networking at these meetings is essential to developing your career."</em></p></text-block>
										<p><strong>How would you respond to your disappointed supervisor?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>Say that you have changed your mind and will give the presentation</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Invent some personal excuse for not participating</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="7"><p>Thank your supervisor and say you will give the issue more thought</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 7 -->
								<action-panel panel="6">
									<action-question>
										<p>You pose the following questions and get the following answers:</p>
										<text-block>
											<p><strong>Q.</strong> <em>Will I have to prepare for the panel?</em>
											<br><strong>A.</strong> <em>Not really &ndash; you'll just need to talk about your experience.</em>
											<br><br><strong>Q.</strong> <em>How long will I be expected to talk?</em>
											<br><strong>A.</strong> <em>About five minutes.</em>
											<br><br><strong>Q.</strong> <em>Who else will be on the panel?</em>
											<br><strong>A.</strong> <em>A couple of senior professors, one programme administrator, and two or three of your peers.</em></p>
										</text-block>
										<p><strong>Would you agree to participate?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>Yes</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="5"><p>No</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 8 -->
								<action-panel panel="7">
									<action-question>
										<p>This scenario has been used to demonstrate how a seemingly simple request can quickly lead to an awkward situation. Researchers should participate in professional activities. If postgraduate students and postdocs did not share information about their experience with others, it would be difficult to improve that experience. That said, a panel discussion might not be the proper place for sharing information; however, as a postgraduate student or postdoc it could be difficult to refuse the invitation.
										<br><br>Knowing that you will likely do more than conduct research over the course of your career, it is essential to know what is called for when you step into other roles. How should you communicate?  Will you find yourself in the position of an advocate? What responsibilities come with these other roles? You should make sure you are alert and as prepared as possible, well equipped to handle situations and dilemmas you may not have anticipated.</p>
									</action-question>
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								<h4>Question 1:</h4>
								<p><strong>An unexpected opportunity</strong></p>
								<p><strong>Your head of department, who is also an officer in your professional society, drops by one day to ask for a favour. The society is planning to sponsor a panel discussion at the next annual meeting on ways to reduce pressure and competition in postgraduate and postdoctoral studies. They would like to have a few graduate students and postdocs on the panel. They present the following offer:</strong></p>
								<p><em>"This will be a great opportunity to meet other young researchers in our field and provide your thoughts on some of the pressures new researchers seem to feel. It would also be a great chance to have our department recognised more broadly for everything we are doing to reduce pressure. Can I count on your participation? We will, of course, cover your expenses."</em></p>
								<p><strong>Would you agree to participate?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Yes <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> No <strong>[Proceed to Question 6]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> I would need more information <strong>[Proceed to Question 7]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 2:</h4>
								<p><strong>To prepare for the session, you set aside time to talk with some of your peers to get their views on what you should say. Despite the changes that have been made, there is still some unhealthy competition in your department. Not everyone gets along as well as they should. Overall, there seem to be three schools of thought on how you ought to frame your presentation:</strong></p>
								<ol>
									<li>Talk about the changes that have been made and the positive effect they have had</li>
									<li>Be honest about the problems that still exist and their impact on department morale</li>
									<li>Briefly talk about the changes and some of the problems that still exist.</li>
								</ol>
								<p><strong>Which approach would you take?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li>Option 1 <strong>[Proceed to Question 3]</strong></li>
									<li>Option 2 <strong>[Proceed to Question 4]</strong></li>
									<li>Option 3 <strong>[Proceed to Question 5]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 3:</h4>
								<p><strong>After your presentation, one of your peers (who recommended being honest about the problems that still exist) pulls you aside and asks why you weren't honest:</strong></p>
								<p><em>"If we don't say anything, there will be no serious change. They can't reduce the number of positions offered. They need us to keep their research programmes going. We do all the work and they get the credit. Do you know that our head of department, who is making these changes, allegedly to reduce pressure and competition, also routinely finds a way to be named as an author without meeting any of the authorship criteria? You just threw away a great opportunity to bring about some meaningful change."</em></p>
								<p><strong>How would you respond to your colleague?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Apologise, but explain that you were worried about your future status in the department if you spoke out too strongly <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> Explain that you felt a public gathering was not the proper place to talk about department issues <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> Thank your colleague for the feedback and say that it will give you something to think about the next time you are part of a panel discussion <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 4:</h4>
								<p><strong>After the panel members give their presentations, one of the senior members of the panel objects strongly to the negative view of postgraduate and postdoctoral studies that you presented:</strong></p>
								<p><em>"Who are these students you referred to? What do you mean by unfair competition? Research is competitive. Those who are not qualified to be first-rate researchers will always complain that the system is not fair. Besides, raising these issues in public doesn't help our area of research. The funders are always looking for excuses to cut research funding in controversial areas."</em></p>
								<p><strong>How would you respond to your indignant colleague, who might eventually peer review one of your manuscripts or grant applications?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Apologise if your talk seemed overly negative, but suggest that you were encouraged to speak about challenges <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> Suggest that the senior colleague might not know what it is like to be a postgraduate student or postdoc today <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> Thank your colleague for the feedback and add that it will give you something to think about the next time you are part of a panel discussion <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 5:</h4>
								<p>After the panel members give their presentations, a member of the audience stands up and asks you a question:</p>
								<p><em>"Your comments gave us things to think about on both sides of the issue, but what do you really think? I am thinking of pursuing a career in research, but have been warned that the competition can be fierce, so fierce that more and more researchers seem to cheat."</em></p>
								<p><strong>How would you respond to a would-be research student?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Explain how you feel about your position but say you cannot speak for others <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> Provide an honest assessment, at the risk of alienating one side or the other <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> Thank the would-be researcher for posing a challenging question and suggest that, to save time, it might be best to meet after the panel to discuss further <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 6:</h4>
								<p>Two days later, you drop in for a chat with your supervisor, who shuts the door as soon as you sit down:</p>
								<p><em>"I heard you turned down the head of department's invitation to participate in a panel discussion on the steps we have taken to reduce pressure on postgraduate students and postdocs. Are you sure that was a wise decision? Networking at these meetings is essential to developing your career."</em></p>
								<p><strong>How would you respond to your disappointed supervisor?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Say that you have changed your mind and will give the presentation <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> Invent some personal excuse for not participating <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> Thank your supervisor and say you will give the issue more thought <strong>[Proceed to Question 8]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 7:</h4>
								<p>You pose the following questions and get the following answers:</p>
								<p><strong>Q.</strong><em> Will I have to prepare for the panel?</em>
								<br> <strong>A.</strong><em> Not really &ndash; you'll just need to talk about your experience.</em></p>
								<p><strong>Q.</strong><em> How long will I be expected to talk?</em>
								<br><strong>A.</strong><em> About five minutes.</em></p>
								<p><strong>Q.</strong><em> Who else will be on the panel?</em>
								<br><strong>A.</strong><em> A couple of senior professors, one programme administrator, and two or three of your peers.</em></p>
								<p><strong>Would you agree to participate?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Yes <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> No <strong>[Proceed to Question 6]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 8:</h4>
								<p>This scenario has been used to demonstrate how a seemingly simple request can quickly lead to an awkward situation. Researchers should participate in professional activities. If postgraduate students and postdocs did not share information about their experience with others, it would be difficult to improve that experience. That said, a panel discussion might not be the proper place for sharing information; however, as a postgraduate student or postdoc it could be difficult to refuse the invitation.</p>
								<p>Knowing that you will likely do more than conduct research over the course of your career, it is essential to know what is called for when you step into other roles. How should you communicate? Will you find yourself in the position of an advocate? What responsibilities come with these other roles? You should make sure you are alert and as prepared as possible, well equipped to handle situations and dilemmas you may not have anticipated.</p>
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							<p>Even if you are careful and think about your different roles, you cannot always control how your research will be used and the role you might end up playing in public discussions. </p>

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											<p><strong>Coverage of the study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-08/ifhm-nss082218.php" target="_blank">New Scientific Study: No Safe Level of Alcohol</a></li>
												<li><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/health-impacts-of-drinking-no-level-of-alcohol-safe-lancet-study.html" target="_blank">No Amount of Alcohol Is Safe, Health Experts Warn</a></li>
											</ul>
											<p><strong>Commentary on the study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31571-X/fulltext" target="_blank">No Level of Alcohol Consumption Improves Health</a></li>
											</ul>
											<p><strong>The original study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31310-2/fulltext?code=lancet-site" target="_blank">Alcohol Use and Burden for 195 Countries and Territories, 1990&ndash;2016: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016</a></li>
											</ul>
											<p><strong>A challenge to the study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/08/there-is-a-safe-level-of-alcohol/568531/?utm_source=feed" target="_blank">A Daily Drink Is Almost Certainly Not Going to Hurt You</a></li>
											</ul>
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							<instructional-text class="non-interactive-swap-out"><p>To illustrate how messages can change across the spectrum of research communication, this second case study takes you through reports on ground-breaking research on the impact of alcohol consumption on health.  As you go through this case, think about what is involved in providing the public with useful information based on your research findings.</p></instructional-text>
							<instructional-text-accessible class="non-interactive-swap-in"><p>To illustrate how messages can change across the spectrum of research communication, this second case study takes you through reports on ground-breaking research on the impact of alcohol consumption on health. As you go through this case, think about what is involved in providing the public with useful information based on your research findings.</p></instructional-text-accessible>
							
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										<h4>Informing the public</h4>
										<p>If you were paying attention to the news during the summer of 2018, you might have noticed several stories reporting on a major study on alcohol consumption. The stories appeared under headlines such as:</p>
										<text-block>
											<p><em>New scientific study: no safe level of alcohol</em> (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2018)
											<br><em>No amount of alcohol is safe, health experts warn</em> (Gilchrist, 2018)</p>
										</text-block>
										<p><strong>If you came across one of these headlines, what would you conclude?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>Alcohol consumption at any level poses a threat to your health</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>Alcohol consumption at any level poses risks to society</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="1"><p>It's an attention-grabbing headline, but I am not sure what to conclude about alcohol consumption</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 2 -->
								<action-panel panel="1">
									<action-question>
										<p>Based on the headlines alone, any one of the proposed conclusions is reasonable. With the initial message in mind, you decide to look beyond the headlines. You read:</p>
										<text-block>
											<p><em>The study, published today in the international medical journal</em> The Lancet<em>, shows that in 2016, nearly 3 million deaths globally were attributed to alcohol use, including 12 percent of deaths in males between the ages of 15 and 49. "The health risks associated with alcohol are massive [...] Zero alcohol consumption minimizes the overall risk of health loss."</em> (University of Washington School of Medicine, 2018)</p>
										</text-block>
										<p><strong>Based on this information, what would you assume was the focus of the research being reported?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="2"><p>The impact of alcohol consumption on personal health</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="2"><p>The burden of alcohol consumption on societal health</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="2"><p>I am uncertain about what to conclude</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 3 -->
								<action-panel panel="2">
									<action-question>
										<p>The emphasis on risks to individuals and the insistence that no level of consumption is safe might suggest that the research is aimed more at individuals than society, but this was clearly a large-scale study. This suggests that the researchers might have been more interested in influencing social policy, rather than the question of whether individuals should consume alcohol.
										<br><br>You do a quick web search to locate the original research article. One of the search results leads you to a <em>The Lancet</em> article with the following headline:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>No level of alcohol consumption improves health</em> (Burton and Sheron, 2018)</p></text-block>
										<p>You quickly discover that this is a piece of commentary, not the original research article. It does, however, confirm that the researchers were more interested in societal impacts on health, rather than individuals' behaviours. The piece also presents an interesting conclusion:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>The most effective and cost-effective means to reduce alcohol-related harms are to reduce affordability through taxation or price regulation, including setting a minimum price per unit (MUP), closely followed by marketing regulation, and restrictions on the physical availability of alcohol.</em> (Burton and Sheron, 2018)</p></text-block>
										<p>This makes you wonder: what data did the researchers use to conclude that the best way to reduce the burden of alcohol consumption on society (and on you, if you drink alcohol) is to make alcohol more expensive and difficult to purchase?
										<br><br><strong>To find out, you finally look up the link to the original article. What do you expect to find?</strong></p>
									</action-question>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>An epidemiological study on the societal impact of alcohol consumption</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>An economic study of the impact of alcohol sales and purchase on global economies</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>A behavioural study of the role of alcohol consumption on mental health</p></action-link>
									<action-link goto-panel="3"><p>A biomedical study of the health burdens of alcohol consumption</p></action-link>
								</action-panel>
								<!-- question 4 -->
								<action-panel panel="3">
									<action-question>
										<p>This is the original article (from <em>The Lancet</em>) that led to the chain of comments and news reports outlined above:</p>
										<text-block><p><em>Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990&ndash;2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016</em> (GBD 2016 Alcohol Collaborators, 2018)</p></text-block>
										<p>It is primarily an epidemiological study, but it does make policy recommendations that could have a major impact on society. Whatever you think of alcohol consumption, it is a significant component of some national economies. Changing pricing and availability could have economic consequences, both positive and negative. Research such as this will also have impacts on personal decision&hyphen;making.
										<br><br>If you have the time, take a careful look at the article above (see the link in the "Useful links" pod) and see if you can separate findings based directly on the reported research from recommendations based on a reading of the scientific literature. You can also review the listed shortcomings to see if you feel they are well balanced. The reviewers and editors at <em>The Lancet</em> clearly felt that the piece was based on responsible research and was worth publishing. For a different view, you might also want to check out the <em>Atlantic</em> article 'A Daily Drink Is Almost Certainly Not Going to Hurt You' (see the "Useful links" pod).</p>
									</action-question>
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								<h4>Question 1:</h4>
								<p><strong>Informing the public</strong></p>
								<p>If you were paying attention to the news during the summer of 2018, you might have noticed several stories reporting on a major study on alcohol consumption. The stories appeared under headlines such as:</p>
								<p><em>No safe level of alcohol, new study concludes</em> (University of Washington School of Medicine, 2018)</p>
								<p><em>No healthy level of alcohol consumption, says major study </em>(Boseley, 2018)</p>
								<p><em>No amount of alcohol is safe, health experts warn </em>(Gilchrist, 2018)</p>
								<p><strong>If you came across one of these headlines, what would you conclude?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> Alcohol consumption at any level poses a threat to your health <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> Alcohol consumption at any level poses risks to society <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> It's an attention-grabbing headline, but I am not sure what to conclude about alcohol consumption <strong>[Proceed to Question 2]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 2:</h4>
								<p>Based on the headlines alone, any one of the proposed conclusions is reasonable. With the initial message in mind, you decide to look beyond the headlines. You read:</p>
								<p><em>The study, published today in the international medical journal </em>The Lancet, <em>shows that in 2016, nearly 3 million deaths globally were attributed to alcohol use, including 12 percent of deaths in males between the ages of 15 and 49. "The health risks associated with alcohol are massive [...] Zero alcohol consumption minimizes the overall risk of health loss."</em> (University of Washington School of Medicine, 2018)</p>
								<p><em>Governments should consider advising people to abstain entirely, say authors. Even the occasional drink is harmful to health, according to the largest and most detailed research carried out on the effects of alcohol, which suggests governments should think of advising people to abstain completely. </em>(Boseley, 2018)</p>
								<p><strong>Based on this information, what would you assume was the focus of the research being reported?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> The impact of alcohol consumption on personal health <strong>[Proceed to Question 3]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> The burden of alcohol consumption on societal health <strong>[Proceed to Question 3]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> I am uncertain about what to conclude <strong>[Proceed to Question 3]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 3:</h4>
								<p>The emphasis on risks to individuals and the insistence that no level of consumption is safe might suggest that the research is aimed more at individuals than society, but this was clearly a large-scale study. This suggests that the researchers might have been more interested in influencing social policy, rather than the question of whether individuals should consume alcohol.</p>
								<p>You do a quick web search to locate the original research article. One of the search results leads you to a <em>Lancet</em> article with the following headline:</p>
								<p><em>No level of alcohol consumption improves health </em>(Burton and Sheron, 2018)</p>
								<p>You quickly discover that this is a piece of commentary, not the original research article. It does, however, confirm that the researchers were more interested in societal impacts on health, rather than individuals' behaviours. The piece also presents an interesting conclusion:</p>
								<p><em>The most effective and cost-effective means to reduce alcohol-related harms are to reduce affordability through taxation or price regulation, including setting a minimum price per unit (MUP), closely followed by marketing regulation, and restrictions on the physical availability of alcohol.</em> (Burton and Sheron, 2018)</p>
								<p>This makes you wonder: what data did the researchers use to conclude that the best way to reduce the burden of alcohol consumption on society (and on you, if you drink alcohol) is to make alcohol more expensive and difficult to purchase?</p>
								<p><strong>To find out, you finally look up the link to the original article. What do you expect to find?</strong></p>
								<ul>
									<li><strong>Answer 1:</strong> An epidemiological study on the societal impact of alcohol consumption <strong>[Proceed to Question 4]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 2:</strong> An economic study of the impact of alcohol sales and purchase on global economies <strong>[Proceed to Question 4]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 3:</strong> A behavioural study of the role of alcohol consumption on mental health <strong>[Proceed to Question 4]</strong></li>
									<li><strong>Answer 4:</strong> A biomedical study of the health burdens of alcohol consumption <strong>[Proceed to Question 4]</strong></li>
								</ul>
								<hr>
								<h4>Question 4:</h4>
								<p>This is the original article (from <em>The Lancet</em>) that led to the chain of comments and news reports outlined above:</p>
								<p><em>Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990&ndash;2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 </em>(GBD 2016 Alcohol Collaborators, 2018)</p>
								<p>It is primarily an epidemiological study, but it does make policy recommendations that could have a major impact on society. Whatever you think of alcohol consumption, it is a significant component of some national economies. Changing pricing and availability could have economic consequences, both positive and negative. Research such as this will also have impacts on personal decision&hyphen;making</p>
								<p>If you have the time, take a careful look at the article above (see the link in the "Useful links" pod) and see if you can separate findings based directly on the reported research from recommendations based on a reading of the scientific literature. You can also review the listed shortcomings to see if you feel they are well balanced. The reviewers and editors at <em>The Lancet</em> clearly felt that the piece was based on responsible research and was worth publishing. For a different view, you might also want to check out the <em>Atlantic</em> article 'A Daily Drink Is Almost Certainly Not Going to Hurt You' (see the "Useful links" pod).</p>
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									<pod-heading>Useful links</pod-heading> <!-- pod title -->
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											<p><strong>Coverage of the study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180824103018.htm" target="_blank">No Safe Level of Alcohol, New Study Concludes</a></li>
												<li><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/24/health-impacts-of-drinking-no-level-of-alcohol-safe-lancet-study.html" target="_blank">No Amount of Alcohol Is Safe, Health Experts Warn</a></li>
											</ul>
											<p><strong>Commentary on the study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31571-X/fulltext" target="_blank">No Level of Alcohol Consumption Improves Health</a></li>
											</ul>
											<p><strong>The original study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31310-2/fulltext?code=lancet-site" target="_blank">Alcohol Use and Burden for 195 Countries and Territories, 1990&ndash;2016: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016</a></li>
											</ul>
											<p><strong>A challenge to the study</strong></p>
											<ul>
												<li><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/08/there-is-a-safe-level-of-alcohol/568531/?utm_source=feed" target="_blank">A Daily Drink Is Almost Certainly Not Going to Hurt You</a></li>
											</ul>
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