Real Manly · A take-along tool · No data collection
CLAIM
CHECK.
A one-page worksheet for the next time a health headline tries to turn “interesting” into “settled.” Write what the original study actually says, and what it cannot yet answer.
01 / The exact headline or claim
02 / The real study and date
WHO?
What people, settings, and group sizes were actually studied?
HOW?
Observational? Randomized comparison? Evidence review? What limits causal claims?
HOW MUCH?
Baseline and comparison numbers, absolute difference, uncertainty, and timeframe?
HOW SURE?
Original paper, funding, conflicts, replication, limitations and newer evidence?
Arithmetic reminder (fictional, not a study): 4 in 100 compared with 3 in 100 is 25% less relative risk but only one person in 100 absolute difference over the same period. Always ask about the actual endpoint and duration.
03 / The sentence I can responsibly say
04 / What remains unknown or needs professional context?
Reference tools: NIH — Understanding Clinical Studies; MedlinePlus — Understanding Medical Research; Cochrane Handbook ch. 15. Links and fuller limitations are in the article.
Original educational worksheet, not health advice. No affiliations or endorsement implied. Back to the source-linked story