About the Book
Veteran health writer Sara Gorman compellingly argues that the backbone of medical conspiracy theories is not misinformation but lack of trust--in our hospitals and in our democracy writ large.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, trust in the healthcare system seems to be at an all-time low. Conspiracy theories are now mainstream, and distrust of government health agencies is common among private citizens. Yet many of those same individuals still profess trust in their doctors. What, then, is driving the general mistrust in medicine, and how can the public's faith be restored?
The Anatomy of Deception investigates the cause behind this seeming uptick in distrust by tracing the unexpected connection between medical mistrust and the move toward far right ideology in the United States. Drawing on personal qualitative research and interviews, health writer and expert Sara Gorman challenges traditional concepts of medical mistrust and argues that the loss of institutional trust in American health care signals a larger breakdown in democracy as a whole. In six short chapters, Gorman advances the idea of medical mistrust not as a byproduct of personal or historical abuses but as a direct result of bias, miscommunication, and lack of access that has slowly eroded trust in the public health system over time. She argues that we can build back trust in medicine through investments in health equity as a first step towards healing the schisms present in modern American society.
Wide-ranging yet incisive, The Anatomy of Deception uncovers the root of medical mistrust in America and how we can regain trust in the systems and values central to our democracy.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: "Above All, I Trust my Doctor": Trust, Distrust, and Medical Decision-Making
Chapter 2: "Othered" Bodies: Medical Mistrust in Black and Latinx Communities
Chapter 3: The Unbearable Mundaneness of Conspiracy Theories
Chapter 4: Heartbreak and Outrage: The Response to COVID-19
Chapter 5: Trust and Well-Being at the Center of Democracy
Chapter 6: Symptoms of Mistrust and What to Do about Them
Conclusion: Where Do We Go From Here?
About the Author :
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH, is a public health expert and author based in New York. She has written extensively about misinformation, science denial, and behavioral science. Her work has appeared in TIME, The New Yorker, Science, Scientific American, Psychology Today, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, and NPR, among others. Sara's first
book, Denying to the Grave: Why We Ignore the Facts That Will Save Us, was published by Oxford University Press in 2016, and a revised edition was released in 2021. Sara is also CEO of Critica, whose mission is to develop new methods of advancing public acceptance of scientific evidence.
Review :
Many of our contemporary public health problems stem from a lack of trust. But where did this lack of trust come from? In this engaging study, Sara Gorman attempts to trace the roots of this distrust to reveal its potential causes, consequences, and solutions. This is a well-written and engaging read for anyone interested in medical mistrust and public health.
In The Anatomy of Deception, Sara Gorman unravels the complex interplay between medical mistrust, misinformation, and the fraying threads of our democratic society. Gorman's insightful analysis, enriched by compelling narratives and robust research, confronts the stark realities of healthcare disparities and their downstream impacts on trust in healthcare and public health. This book is an urgent call to action, revealing how we can repair our healthcare system and, in turn, restore trust in public health, our government, and our democracy. A crucial read for anyone invested in the future of public health and societal well-being.
While the human capacity to prevent or cure dangerous illnesses has never been so sophisticated, public trust in the healthcare system has been declining for decades. How do medical mistrust and conspiracy theories originate, and what are the implications for democracy and public health? In this well researched book, Sara Gorman provides compelling answers to these important questions.
Gorman's undeniable skill in truly listening with empathy results in a beautiful if brutal book on the lived experience of healthcare in America. For anyone interested in the rise of skepticism, distrust, and conspiracy in medicine and public health, this book is a must-read.
Author Sara Gorman presents a powerful investigation into the roots of the trust crisis in the US, fueling a diaspora of dissenters migrating to alternative information. Her conclusion is that the biggest driver of distrust and dissent stems from a crisis in access to health. A timely and important read that begs an urgent response.
Equal parts tightly focused and wide ranging, tackling many related issues of our age with expert research and highly readable storytelling...Gorman not only helps readers understand the grave mistakes of the past; she also offers suggestions to find a path forward. A timely, significant examination of how Covid-19 affected many American systems, from health care to government.
The book is based on extensive research, including numerous interviews and focus groups, and judicious use of prior research. Gorman's nuanced approach draws attention to the importance of narratives, ambivalence, information environments, difficulties in accessing high-quality information, crises of despair, and the threat of entrenched mistrust to democracy.
