This bit of news caught my attention this morning:
Kids, Allergies And A Possible Downside To Squeaky Clean Dishes
This is a story on a study linking the use of dishwashing machines to an increase in allergies in Swedish children. One of many attempts to understand whether the "Hygiene Hypothesis" withstands empirical testing. Aside of the technicalities of how research is done and how results are sometimes incomplete or non-conclusive, I want to call attention -once again- to how hard can it be to study P-E interactions. This type of research can be long and cumbersome if it attempts to be accurate (not unlike the title of this post!).
Studies that try to connect environmental variables (use of dishwasher) with health outcomes (allergies) tend to be limited and its findings partial and inconclusive. One reason for that is the difficulty to conduct research that looks at people-environment interactions in a more complex manner. There are a few reasons that I can think of for that.
First, when looking at the interaction between people and the social, physical, political, and geographical environments in which they spend time, there are many variables that need to be accounted for somehow, either to control for them or to see how they vary. This makes the creation of neat, uncomplicated, research, the kind that would fit in a university lab or provide a catchy headline, difficult.
Second, the funding needed to conduct such research is also difficult to attain. Funders like to see that their support produces short-term, high-impact research. In many cases complex research will take time, not only to be conducted and analyzed, but just in its formulation process. Uncompensated time is demanded from researchers that may be in different fields and institutions.
Third, disciplinary, partial views of people-environment relations are constantly reinforced. Prescribed additions to existing research are often rewarded in the shape of academic nepotism, tenure-track positions, and other power positions in academic societies. The estate of complex research is less clear.
Fourth, the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for the analysis of complex data has for long lived in highly specialized fields. There is little access to the skills set required to look at data that is interrelated and that obviously covaries. Only at specific graduate school programs, with long-standing complex interests (think environmental public health) can that research event take place.
So today, as we think the role of dishwashers in our lives, let's also remember that the solution to the lack of complexity in research can be addressed in a less obvious way: Educating those who consume research news. The establishment of a class of citizens who are scientifically savvy. People ready to consume scientific research and understand it both in terms of its scientific value and in the larger context of social life. When readers of news and research reports are better prepared to ask relevant questions, piece together seemingly disconnected areas of research, and create their own answers and practical solutions; that day, we will not only be able to see studies and their true relevance, but we will also live in a better society (one that understands why we need to immunize our children).
This is why I am motivated to go teach each day, because I have believe that the future of life in the planet lies on the preparation of young people and their ability to understand and use science. After all, we are living in a time in which massive amounts of data are produced. Someone (besides the NSA) should analyze it!
PS: I may be wrong about one of more things in this post. I welcome corrections and alternative views.
Kids, Allergies And A Possible Downside To Squeaky Clean Dishes
This is a story on a study linking the use of dishwashing machines to an increase in allergies in Swedish children. One of many attempts to understand whether the "Hygiene Hypothesis" withstands empirical testing. Aside of the technicalities of how research is done and how results are sometimes incomplete or non-conclusive, I want to call attention -once again- to how hard can it be to study P-E interactions. This type of research can be long and cumbersome if it attempts to be accurate (not unlike the title of this post!).
Studies that try to connect environmental variables (use of dishwasher) with health outcomes (allergies) tend to be limited and its findings partial and inconclusive. One reason for that is the difficulty to conduct research that looks at people-environment interactions in a more complex manner. There are a few reasons that I can think of for that.
First, when looking at the interaction between people and the social, physical, political, and geographical environments in which they spend time, there are many variables that need to be accounted for somehow, either to control for them or to see how they vary. This makes the creation of neat, uncomplicated, research, the kind that would fit in a university lab or provide a catchy headline, difficult.
Second, the funding needed to conduct such research is also difficult to attain. Funders like to see that their support produces short-term, high-impact research. In many cases complex research will take time, not only to be conducted and analyzed, but just in its formulation process. Uncompensated time is demanded from researchers that may be in different fields and institutions.
Third, disciplinary, partial views of people-environment relations are constantly reinforced. Prescribed additions to existing research are often rewarded in the shape of academic nepotism, tenure-track positions, and other power positions in academic societies. The estate of complex research is less clear.
Fourth, the practical and theoretical knowledge necessary for the analysis of complex data has for long lived in highly specialized fields. There is little access to the skills set required to look at data that is interrelated and that obviously covaries. Only at specific graduate school programs, with long-standing complex interests (think environmental public health) can that research event take place.
So today, as we think the role of dishwashers in our lives, let's also remember that the solution to the lack of complexity in research can be addressed in a less obvious way: Educating those who consume research news. The establishment of a class of citizens who are scientifically savvy. People ready to consume scientific research and understand it both in terms of its scientific value and in the larger context of social life. When readers of news and research reports are better prepared to ask relevant questions, piece together seemingly disconnected areas of research, and create their own answers and practical solutions; that day, we will not only be able to see studies and their true relevance, but we will also live in a better society (one that understands why we need to immunize our children).
This is why I am motivated to go teach each day, because I have believe that the future of life in the planet lies on the preparation of young people and their ability to understand and use science. After all, we are living in a time in which massive amounts of data are produced. Someone (besides the NSA) should analyze it!
PS: I may be wrong about one of more things in this post. I welcome corrections and alternative views.
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