This weekend, I bought the "Telegraph" instead of my usual copy of "The Times". From reading the Telegraph, one would never realise that Britain was in the midst of a recession. The weekend section features trans-alantic sailing on its front page whilst the gardening section gushes on about the highlights of this year's Chelsea Flower Show. In the property section, readers are advised on how to bag a bargain penthouse, whilst the motoring section reviews the latest supercars. Even the advertistments are upmarket with select wines & luxury holiday destinations.
I confess, reading the Telegraph, I feel like I have transiently been "upgraded" in the social & wealth ladder. Should I invest in wine this year? Given the warm summer expected, 2009 should be a good year. Where should I buy my country house this year? Windsor is so "common", perhaps nearby Sunningdale would be a wiser choice. My indulgent daydreaming goes on.
In hospital, I have made thousands of bedside visits. The type of reading material nearby gives me a clue on the patient's background. Telegraph readers are usually affluent or professionals. Independent & Guardian readers are usually well-educated & tend to be academics. Daily Mail or Daily Express readers are solidly middle class. Financial Times readers are rare these days but indicate company executives or financial workers. Paradoxically, a copy of the Sun nearby reveals little information as it is popular& widely read. These above observations are only broad generalisations.
The most worrying sign is when there is absolutelty no reading material nearby. It does make me enquire about the patient's state of mind. All too frequently, illness can affect the patient's mental state. Even a urine or chest infection can severely impair the mind, particularly in the elderly. Patients with confusion or dementia often don't have reading material lying around. On the other hand, studying the day's newspaper or attempting the crosswords is a good sign, suggesting that the patient's condition is improving.
In Medicine, using your powers of observation with such subtle clues is vital.
