Likeable

You might want to spruce up you personality a bit the next time you're in pain before you head off to see your friendly health care provider.

In the October, 2011 issue of Pain, reserachers at Ghent University, Belgium, reveal the results of a study that shows less likeable patients who claim to have severe pain are perceived by health care workers to have less pain. Patients who come off as negative or disliked were viewed as not only having less pain but elicited less sympathy from those assigned to care for them.

Bottom line, as one of the researchers conlcuded: "Our results suggest that pain of disliked patients who express high pain is taken by others less seriously. This could imply less helping behavior by others as well as poorer health outcomes."

That we even needed a study to find this out is in itself revealing, but as they say: Whatever!
t.m. hatter