This conversation will support students in then reconsidering the first plots from Case 1 from the Kansas Department of Health (see Figure 1), with a new understanding of their usefulness. The first example of misleading data visualization comes to us courtesy of Reddit but was originally propagated by Fox news. Given the importance of data in todays rapidly evolving digital world, it is important to be familiar with the basics of misleading statistics and oversight. For these reasons, a firm understanding of data science is an essential skill for professionals. Rather its politicians trying to make a point for their own interest or just someone not understanding the information behind the graphs and charts they create, crime statistics are not free of being misleading. Therefore, using the first graph, and only the first graph, to disprove global warming is a perfect misleading statistics example. Number don't add up 11. Statistics presented without context should be viewed critically. Learn how to identify and avoid sharing health misinformation. Evaluate the effectiveness of internal policies and practices in addressing misinformation and be transparent with findings. . Coca-Cola falsely claimed its Vitaminwater products could promote healthy joints, reduce the risk of eye disease, and have other health benefits. Address health misinformation in your community. Whatever the types of graphs and charts you choose to use, it must convey: - The method of calculation (e.g., dataset and time period). Why might the COVID-19 case rates be higher in counties with mask mandates than those without? What would your conclusion be about the importance of a mask mandate? In 2012, the global mean temperature was measured at 58.2 degrees. What is a conclusion you could draw from this plot that would not make much sense (i.e., pushing them to make the causation error)? The case started when the giant pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma, launched its new product OxyContin, which they advertised as a safe, non-addictive opioid that was highly effective for pain relief. We will discuss this specific case in more detail later in the post. The time 7 million was 5x more than 6 million. According to a definition by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, a Simpsons Paradox is a statistical phenomenon where an association between two variables in a population emerges, disappears or reverses when the population is divided into subpopulations. As businesses are often forced to follow a difficult-to-interpret market roadmap, statistical methods can help with the planning that is necessary to navigate a landscape filled with potholes, pitfalls, and hostile competition. What information is missing from this data? There are two take-aways when comparing the two plots. We defined health misinformation as a health-related claim that is based on anecdotal evidence, false, or misleading . Source #1: A small sample size. xkdc's comic illustrates this very well, to show how the "fastest-growing" claim is a totally relative marketing speech: Likewise, the needed sample size is influenced by the kind of question you ask, the statistical significance you need (clinical study vs business study), and the statistical technique. The Govenor race where one guy's 37% was WAY more than just 37% gravismarketing.com / Via reddit.com 4. Studies foster informed decision-making, sound judgments, and actions carried out on the weight of evidence, not assumptions. More recently, other studies led by Dr. Loeb found similarly misleading information about prostate cancer on TikTok and Instagram. There are different ways in which statistics can be misleading that we will detail later. This is just one of many examples of misleading statistics in the media and politics. The most common ways statistics are misused, besides misinterpretation, are the following: faulty polling, flawed correlations, misleading data visuals, selective bias and small sample size (Lebeid 2018). Let's check those mistakes. Health misinformation has also led to harassment and violence against health workers, airline staff, and other frontline workers tasked with communicating evolving public health measures. It demonstrates the change in air temperature (Celsius) from 1998 to 2012. That said, a bigger sample size is always better, as it highlights statistical differences more accurately. The plot that was originally posted to the Georgia Department of Public Health website (image provided by Twitter user Calling Bullshit, Figure 3) appears to show that the number of COVID-19 cases in the top five counties in the state, at the time, were consistently dropping over the previous month. Any sensible person would easily identify the fact that car accidents do not cause bear attacks. First, although there was an obvious decline, the word rapid is not as justifiableit is certainly less pronounced. Annual Data 3. Such examples that appear in the purview of the general public have potential for motivating critical discourse around statistics content and interpretation that can lead to further curiosity of more advanced statistical thinking and reasoning. So, can statistics be manipulated? Luxembourg and Andorra are in the top 10 largely because of their exceptionally small populations (roughly 600,000 and 77,000, respectively). Statistics is regularly used by urban planners to decide how many apartments, shops, stores, etc. This example of a misleading use of statistics is perhaps one of the more clear cases of intent to mislead, despite attempts of the administration to make it appear accidentalsee May 19 story about the response in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Mariano and Trubey 2020 ). (, Adults Statistical Literacy: Meaning, Components, Responsibilities, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers. should be built in a certain area based on population growth patterns. Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and policies to prevent and address health misinformation. Disinformation is when misinformation is used to serve a malicious purpose, such as to trick people into believing something for financial gain or political advantage. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our Cookie Policy. More than half of all suicides in 2021 - 26,328 out of 48,183, or 55% - also involved a gun, the highest percentage since 2001. Did we forget to mention the amount of sugar put in the tea or the fact that baldness and old age are related just like cardiovascular disease risks and old age? Using a clearly defined scale, here is what the information looks like: Once placed within a clearly defined scale, it becomes evident that while the amount of cancer screenings has in fact decreased, it still far outnumbers the amount of abortion procedures performed yearly. Just one in a long line of brands to falsely claim a product has health benefits, it . We all need access to trusted sources of information to stay safe and healthy. Many would falsely assume, yes, solely based on the strength of the correlation. It also happens to be a topic that is vigorously endorsed by both opponents and proponents via studies. Looking for U.S. government information and services? As we can see, the X axes here start from 590 instead of zero. If all this is true, what is the problem with statistics? A slideshow version of the Community Toolkit for educators and other community leaders. The results provide deceiving information that creates false narratives around a topic. What is a conclusion you could draw from this plot that would be more accurate (i.e., pushing them to consider association or correlation concepts)? Accurate vaccine information is critical and can help stop common myths and rumors. However, closer inspection reveals that the dates along the horizontal axis are not in order of time, with, for instance, May 1 appearing before April 30 and April 26 appearing in between May 7 (on the left) and May 3 (on the right). We then build on these examples to draw connections to how they could be used to enhance statistics teaching and learning, especially as it relates to secondary and introductory tertiary statistics coursework. Brian Kemp's said: "The x-axis was set up that way to show descending values to more easily demonstrate peak values and counties on those dates, our mission failed. And finally, if youre not sure about the content dont share it. Manipulating the Y-axis+ 6. Lets look at one of them closely. Based on the structure of the chart, it does in fact appear to show that the number of abortions since 2006 experienced substantial growth, while the number of cancer screenings substantially decreased. Basically, there is no problem pro se - but there can be. Partner with community groups and other local organizations to prevent and address health misinformation. Regardless, many people will look at the graph and get a different idea of what the actual difference is, which is an unethical and dangerous practice. A good rule of thumb is to always take polling with a grain of salt and to try to review the questions that were actually presented. An example of misleading statistics is when determining whether to take a medical test for a rare but serious disease like spina bifida. 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG. Statistical analyses have historically been a stalwart of the high-tech and advanced business industries, and today they are more important than ever. With the increasing reliance on intelligent solution automation for variable data point comparisons, best practices (i.e., design and scaling) should be implemented prior to comparing data from different sources, datasets, times, and locations. One of the most misleading, but rather common, tricks is to use relative risks when talking about the benefits of a treatment, for example to say that "Women taking tamoxifen had about 49% fewer diagnoses of breast cancer", while potential harms are given in absolute risks: "The annual rate of uterine cancer in the tamoxifen arm was 30 per 10,000 Do numbers lie? We took a very obvious one to show you below. The most recent case happened not too long ago in September 2021. (labels are clear, axes begin at 0, right chart type, etc) Is the research represented honestly and in an impartial manner? Continue to modernize public health communications. Educate students and the public on common tactics used by those who spread misinformation online. The intent is to convey a shift in focus from cancer screenings to abortion. No, of course, its a made-up number (even though such a study would be interesting to know but again, could have all the flaws it tries at the same time to point out). You can see the updated version below. Proactively address information deficits. Seeking a relationship between data isnt a misuse per se, however, doing so without a hypothesis is. On Sept. 29, 2015, Republicans from the U.S. Congress questioned Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, regarding the misappropriation of $500 million in annual federal funding. While it is quite clear that statistical data has the potential to be misused, it can also ethically drive market value in the digital world. Content. First of all, the X-axis does not have a label, even though according to the chart, it is meant to show the number of cases over time, this doesn't happen. But while that may be the case, people are duped by data visualizations every day. Papaya leaf juice, elderberry, dates, thyme, garlic, jasmine, limes, okra and other herbs, vegetables and exotic fruits were all offered this year as cures for cancer, diabetes, asthma and the flu.. A Beginners Introduction To The Most Common Data Types In Programming, A Complete Guide To Spider Charts With Best Practices And Examples Of When To Use Them, A Beginners Guide To The Power Of Area Charts See Examples, Types & Best Practices, Using percentage change in combination with a small sample size. This a sad representation of how dangerous misinformation can be. 2 Steven Strogatzs Twitter comment to show a recreation of a plot showing the number of daily cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 in the population of Kansas. We note that these examples come from the context of the United States as that is the context the authors are most familiar with, however, from scanning the news, these seem to be issues common across the world during this highly politicized global pandemic where peoples lives and politicians power are in danger. Editors, clients, and people want something new, not something they know; thats why we often end up with an amplification phenomenon that gets echoed and more than it should. But you cannot know until you ask yourself a couple of questions and analyze the results you have in between your hands. Annual Data 3. While numbers dont always have to be fabricated or misleading, it is clear that even societys most trusted numerical gatekeepers are not immune to the carelessness and bias that can arise with statistical interpretation processes. Expand efforts to build long-term resilience to misinformation, such as educational programs. Doing a quick research, you find that 900 out of 1000 patients that went into surgery at Hospital A survived, while 800 out of 1000 survived at Hospital B. Misinformation is information that is false, inaccurate, or misleading according to the best available evidence at the time. examples of misleading statistics in healthcare a comment eurasia group chairman. Revisit this insightful list of bad statistics examples from time to time to remind you of the importance of using data in a proper way! . A typical example of amplification often happens with newspapers and journalists, who take one piece of data and need to turn it into headlines thus often out of its original context. Oh, wait -- did we say spin? Was there a rapid decline in cases? A controversial representation of this happened in 2014 when a graph depicting the number of murders committed using firearms in Florida from 1990 to 2010 was published in the context of the Stand Your Ground law, enacted in 2005 to give people the right to use deadly force for self-defense. Here are a few potential mishaps that commonly lead to misuse: The manner in which questions are phrased can have a huge impact on the way an audience answers them. Insightful graphs and charts include a very basic, but essential, grouping of elements. The graph was later republished with organized dates and counties. As such, this is a great misleading statistics example, and some could argue bias considering that the chart originated not from the Congressman, but from Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion group. We then build on these examples to draw connections to how they could be used to enhance statistics teaching and learning, especially as it relates to secondary and introductory tertiary statistics and quantitative reasoning coursework. If the sample size of the study is too small to prove its conclusion then you should be responsible enough and not use these results as an absolute truth as this paves the way for future misinformation. To avoid this issue, you should always pick a random sample of people whose background may or may not be related to the topic of the survey. Moreover, we believe these kinds of examples are useful in expanding the toolkit of resources available that are in line with other similar resources, such as the book published by Madison etal. Recently, Kellogg's UK was hit with a ban from the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) after making false health claims in its advert for Special K cereal. Fig. While numbers dont lie, they can in fact be used to mislead with half-truths. In critical scenarios such as a global pandemic, this becomes even more important as misinformation can lead to a higher spread and more deaths. During one of Fow News broadcasts, anchor Tucker Carlson displayed a graph saying that the number of Americans identifying as Christians had collapsed over the last decade. Take this first example of a misleading graph that proves global warming is real. Based on the misuse techniques we covered, it is safe to say that this sleight off-hand technique by Colgate is a clear example of misleading statistics in advertising, and would fall under faulty polling and outright bias. To avoid situations like this, there is a bunch of healthcare analytics software that assists analysts and average users in the creation of stunning and accurate visualizations for their data. During the pandemic, health misinformation has led people to decline vaccines, reject public health measures, and use unproven treatments. Yet, closer examination will reveal that the chart has no defined y-axis. Taking that into account, what the graph is actually showing is an increase in deaths using firearms after the law was enacted. This is a clear situation in which the axes are manipulated to show a specific result that is misleading. Here's my top five falsehoods-in-figures: 1. Establish quality metrics to assess progress in information literacy. 19 of the persons respond yes to the survey. Providing solely the percentage of change without the total numbers or sample size will be totally misleading. To get this journey started, let's look at a misleading statistics definition. However, at the time this graph was published, many media publications interpreted the graph as if the deaths dropped, showing how damaging the misuse of graphs and numbers can be. Cumulative VS. 73.6% of statistics are false. Statistical reliability is crucial in order to ensure the precision and validity of the analysis. Register a free Taylor & Francis Online account today to boost your research and gain these benefits: Data (Mis)representation and COVID-19: Leveraging Misleading Data Visualizations For Developing Statistical Literacy Across Grades 616, a School of Teacher Preparation, Administration & Leadership, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, b Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston, Houston, TX, GAISE College Report ASA Revision Committee. For example, starting the axes in a predefined value so that it will affect the way the graph is perceived to achieve a certain conclusion. Staying with our example, that would look like this: Given the rising costs to the middle class, do you support government assistance programs?. Sometimes, it is better to just make a simple bar or even a table with a couple of columns so that something like this won't happen. People who were more susceptible to . Nutrition studies have a particularly bad reputation in the news. The name and date of birth used in this example are imaginative, used for illustrative purposes, and do not represent an actual patient. Citation2020), this very truth has now been laid bare for the world to see in the media and social media as the general public grapples with making, and making sense of, data-based arguments around COVID-19. Lets put this into perspective with an example of the misuse of statistics in advertising. For further thinking about this topic, I recommend this blogpost (Rost Citation2018, May). Sample size surveys are one example of creating misleading statistics. This slide includes the key takeaways from the advisory. Health Misinformation Current Priorities of the U.S. Health (2 days ago) Office of the U.S. The birth rate for . Misuse of statistics often happens in advertisements, politics, news, media, and others. For example, let's say you're comparing mammal weights. They provide great insight, often more so than the answers. When an experiment or a survey is led on a totally not significant sample size, not only will the results be unusable, but the way of presenting them - namely as percentages - will be totally misleading. By Bernardita Calzon in Data Analysis, Jan 6th 2023, 3) Misleading Statistics Examples In Real Life. There are two problems with this. Well, a Simpsons Paradox can happen when an analyst doesnt look at the complete scope of the data. In this article, we showcase examples of how data related to the COVID-19 pandemic has been (mis)represented in the media and by governmental agencies and discuss plausible reasons why it has been (mis)represented. No matter how good a study might be, if it's not written using objective and formal language, then it is at risk to mislead. Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine. Carefully review information in preprints. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Columbia Journalism School professor Bill Grueskin even made a lesson to its students about the topic and used several misleading charts from the US news show as an example of what not to do when presenting data. Statistics can tell us about trends that are. It becomes hard to believe any analysis! Be prepared to be confused. For instance, the nature of the group of people surveyed: asking a class of college students about the legal drinking age, or a group of retired people about the elderly care system. Fig. The time an upside down y-axis made "Stand Your Ground" seem much more reasonable. Misleading pie chart 4. Broad dissemination and consumption of false or misleading health information, amplified by the internet, poses risks to public health and problems for both the health care enterprise and the government. Accepted author version posted online: 12 Apr 2021, Register to receive personalised research and resources by email. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic misinformation has caused people to decline COVID-19 vaccines, reject public health measures such as masking and physical distancing, and use unproven treatments. How does the second plot cause you to reconsider the weight of evidence (e.g., Pfannkuch Citation2006; Engledowl and Gorham Blanco Citation2019) supporting your conclusion? It usually falls down on the sample of people surveyed. Using the wrong graph 7. In this case, the goal is not association, but comparison, thereby making it a bit more difficult to initially interpret the data. Likewise, another common practice with data is omission, meaning that after looking at a large data set of answers, you only pick the ones that are supporting your views and findings and leave out those that contradict them. Just like other industries or areas that we will cover on this list of examples, the healthcare industry is not free of the misuse of statistics. By taking the following steps, we can protect ourselves and loved ones from harmful misinformation. If youre not sure, dont share. Registered in England & Wales No. Making this a clear example of how the time period that we chose to portray can significantly change the way people will perceive the information. Tufte (Citation2001) talked about this in his book, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, making a point that having two vertical axes on a time series plot can be very useful when attempting to show a plausible association between two things. Second, without paying very close attention to the scales of the two vertical axes in the original plot, it would be easy to conclude that counties with mask mandates had dropped below that of those with no mask mandatean incorrect conclusion. The plot compared the number of COVID-19 cases over time for counties in Kansas that had mask mandates versus those that did not. Misleading Coronavirus graphs. Ebola, for example, kills 50% of the people it infects on average, which is why the doctors who treat it wear hazmat suits. Did you know that with a free Taylor & Francis Online account you can gain access to the following benefits? Image: Yale University What's wrong with this picture? The chart points appear to indicate that 327,000 abortions are greater in inherent value than 935,573 cancer screenings. In CCSSM, students gain experiences with histograms beginning in grade 6, and they begin comparing multiple plots as early as the seventh grade. Consider headlines and images that inform rather than shock or provoke. If you follow all the steps mentioned above, you should be able to make a clear analysis and correct use of data. The below chart expresses the 30-year change in global mean temperatures. We also discuss the possible source/motivations behind such (mis)representation of the data. Using the pair of graphs in the first case, a question that could spur thinking about these two phenomenacounties with vs without a mask mandatecould be something like: What does this graph (Figure 1, the one with two axes) make it appear is happening? For example, are visualizations representing the data accurately? By Nikki Gilliland July 25th 2016. Consider the following steps to determine if information is accurate: For more information on common types of health misinformation sources, check out our Health Misinformation Community Toolkit. Misleading Data Visualization Examples 1. Omitting the baseline. Increase investment in research on misinformation. Mixing up linear and logarithmic scales. To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System And now have a look at the trend from 1900 to 2012: While the long-term data may appear to reflect a plateau, it clearly paints a picture of gradual warming. Misinformation spreads especially easily on social media and online retail sites, as well as via search engines. So, let's explore some interesting choices of using data visualization tools and discuss why they are misleading. Thats whats going on in your organization.. The misuse of statistics is a much broader problem that now permeates multiple industries and fields of study. Here are five techniques for fudging the numbers with misleading statistics examples: Technique #1: Citing Misleading "Averages" The first technique is using the word "average" without specifying what kind of average a figure represents. Much like abortion, global warming is another politically charged topic that is likely to arouse emotions. People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read. Certain industries tend to have more issues with misleading claims. It is generally agreed upon that the global mean temperature in 1998 was 58.3 degrees Fahrenheit. 19 Most Misleading Statistics (That Are Technically Correct) By: Cracked Plasticians April 20, 2016 Advertisement When the math adds up, the numbers never lie. Now, you might be wondering, how can this be misleading? There is also the broader context here, which is counties with mask mandates are oftentimes counties that are more densely populated and are seeing larger numbers of cases prompting them to take action. As an exercise in due diligence, we will review some of the most common forms of misuse of statistics, and various alarming (and sadly, common) misleading statistics examples from public life. What if it was something more believable, like Alzheimers and old age? It is our hope that these examples inspire statistics educators and statistics teacher educators to leverage these kinds of examples for use in teaching and learning to support students in working toward statistical literacy within the vision of the Pre-K12 and College GAISE Reports (Bargagliotti etal.