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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery
@kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
110 followers 17 following 6 posts
Professor in health literacy and shared decision making. Director Sydney Health Literacy Lab. President International Shared Decision Making Society.
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
who.int
WHO @who.int · May 9
Ending social injustice requires determined action from everyone. Here are 3 things you can do:

📢 Speak up against discrimination
🤝 Support community organizations that provide essential services like food, supportive housing & job training
🌍 Engage in climate action
Text reads '3 actions you can do to help end health inequity'. The first point of three, against the image of a megaphone is the text 'Speak up against all forms of discrimination'. The second point, against the image of a person shopping in the text 'Support community organizations that prioritize people & the planet'. Third point, against the image of a poster to protect the plant is the text 'Engage in climate action'.
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
who.int
WHO @who.int · Apr 30
Vaccines are rigorously tested, effective, and save lives. More than 150 million lives have been saved in the past 50 years thanks to vaccines!

But you may be worried about what's in them.
So, let’s break it down. ⬇

Check out the latest episode of Plot Twist.
youtube.com/shorts/TH1kz...
What’s in a vaccine?
YouTube video by World Health Organization (WHO)
youtube.com
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · Mar 21
A gobsmacking story. Water companies let toxic waste disposers, for cash, dump their loads into sewage farms. The sewage sludge is then spread, untested, on farmland, potentially poisoning vast areas, entire ecosystems and the people (you and me) eating the food.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
What’s in the millions of tonnes of sludge sprayed on to farmland? The answer won’t make you happy | George Monbiot
Thanks to breathtaking negligence, the liquid fertiliser used to help grow our food bubbles with a lethal cocktail of toxins, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
who.int
WHO @who.int · Mar 21
Everyone has the right to quality health care!

People with #DownSyndrome must be able to access the health care they need - without stigma & discrimination - incl.:
👩‍⚕️regular check-ups
ℹ️ information on health promotion
💪quality & affordable services that support happy, healthy lives
bit.ly/41HLpOL
Picture of L., 26*, who has Down syndrome, during a moment of comradery with his friends and fellow residents of Kampuchea Sela Handicap. Valentin Dube, one of the NGO’s full-time staff members, notes that families will not register their children for ID cards due to disability-related shame and taboos. Kampuchea Sela holds different workshops with parents to challenge stereotypes and stigma towards better inclusion. * Initial used instead of the subject’s name to adhere to NGO privacy protection policies. The ages of all of Kampuchea Sela’s residents are informed estimations given by their social workers. Most of those the NGO work with do not have a birth certificate as their families did not register them, often due to shame around having a child with a disability.
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
mikegalsworthy.bsky.social
Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · Mar 20
The UK would now want to rejoin the EU by 55% to 33%

Removing those that don’t know - that’s a 62.5% to 37.5% breakdown.
Screenshot of polling data from Jan 2025
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
jonrauch.bsky.social
Jon Rauch @jonrauch.bsky.social · Mar 20
A friend drove two hours today for her breast cancer chemotherapy only to learn it was canceled due to NIH cuts. Clinical trial ended midstream. No treatment, no restart, no plan, no information. Her bro-in-law's chemo was also canceled.
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
jolynhersch.bsky.social
Jolyn Hersch PhD @jolynhersch.bsky.social · Mar 17
Risk perception of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast and their healthcare practitioners: The importance of histopathological terminology, and the gaps in our knowledge.
Riggi et al. note most studies are from the Anglosphere. www.hh.um.es/Abstracts/Vol_40/40_3/40_3_297.htm
Histol Histopathol, Vol 40, Riggi et al.
www.hh.um.es
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
carissabonner.bsky.social
A/Prof Carissa Bonner @carissabonner.bsky.social · Mar 17
Read our MJA Insight+ article about @melodytaba.bsky.social's PhD research with @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social - outlining 5 things you can do to engage young people in social media communication about health: insightplus.mja.com.au/2025/10/how-...
How to use social media for health communication with young people - InSight+
With 82% of young people using social media for health information, it’s increasingly important for health professionals to cut through online misinformation with reliable and appealing social media h...
insightplus.mja.com.au
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
joeallenjoe.bsky.social
Joe Allen @joeallenjoe.bsky.social · Mar 12
In fiscal year 2024, the report found, NIH awarded more than $36.9 billion to researchers, supporting more than 408,000 jobs and generating over $94.5 billion in new economic activity nationwide.

news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
NIH funding delivers exponential economic returns — Harvard Gazette
Report finds all 50 states reap gains in patient health, job creation, research resources, business development.
news.harvard.edu
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
who.int
WHO @who.int · Mar 12
✅ WHO does not impose lockdowns or policies on countries. It does not have the authority to do this and isn't trying to get it.

Only governments can make those decisions.

Know the facts ⬇️
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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social · Mar 13
Congratulations @melodytaba on another great paper
julieayre.bsky.social
Julie Ayre @julieayre.bsky.social · Mar 13
Fantastic new paper from @melodytaba.bsky.social ! What a wonderful example of codesign!
melodytaba.bsky.social
Dr Melody Taba @melodytaba.bsky.social · Mar 13
🎉 New PhD paper out now!
 
We co-designed 5 recommendations with young people and health communicators for social media health communication to young people!
 
Read the full article: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

🧵for more ⬇️
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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social · Mar 13
Great piece on medicalisation
tessacopp.bsky.social
Tessa Copp @tessacopp.bsky.social · Mar 12
"When a medical problem is part of a person’s identity, it becomes inescapable."

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

@wiserhealthcare.bsky.social @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social
The number of people with chronic conditions is soaring. Are we less healthy than we used to be – or overdiagnosing illness?
Are ordinary life experiences, bodily imperfections and normal differences being unnecessarily pathologised? One doctor argues just that
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
sanders.senate.gov
Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · Mar 7
Trump and Musk are going after Social Security, Medicaid, the VA, and public education.

In what universe, in what world, in what religion is it morally acceptable to cut programs for hungry children in order to reward the wealthy?
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
carissabonner.bsky.social
A/Prof Carissa Bonner @carissabonner.bsky.social · Mar 7
Great to see @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social PhD student Sumathy Ravi's umbrella review including 30 virtual care diabetes reviews is out today! Virtual care can improve diabetes management, but we need better study design to know if video consultations work. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Effect of virtual care in type 2 diabetes management – a systematic umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analysis - BMC Health Services Research
Background Diabetes is an increasingly prevalent and costly chronic disease worldwide, and a large cause of unnecessary disease burden. To address the growing burden of diabetes, care models should su...
link.springer.com
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
muellershewrote.com
Mueller, She Wrote @muellershewrote.com · Mar 1
NEW: Senator Marshall (R-KS) RUNS AWAY, fleeing his own town hall after being asked about DOGE firing Veterans. MAKE HIM GO VIRAL.
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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social · Mar 2
I did not know this - switching over right now…. @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social
surfinnurd.bsky.social
Surfin' NuRD @surfinnurd.bsky.social · Mar 2
Remember, EuropePMC is actually better than #PubMed because it includes ALL preprints in search results, not just those including NIH-funded research.

europepmc.org
Europe PMCHome - Europe PMC
Europe PMC is an archive of life sciences journal literature.
europepmc.org
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
skiles.blue
John Skiles Skinner @skiles.blue · Mar 1
I got laid off today, with the rest of 18F.

18F was an elite federal software shop. We made gov't websites work better, more efficiently for the American people. We saved taxpayers from getting screwed over by contractors. And were fired for it.

We made this website to tell our story:
18f.org
We're not done yet | 18F
18f.org
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
arghavansallesmd.medsky.social
Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD @arghavansallesmd.medsky.social · Feb 28
Of the 4000 researchers at NIH, only 20% are tenured. They’re going to fire all the rest as their contracts come up for renewal, absolutely decimating research at the NIH. This is catastrophic, not just for Americans, but for the whole world.

www.science.org/content/arti...
NIH ban on renewing senior scientists adds to assaults on its in-house research
Policy follows firings of tenure-track scientists and suspension of training programs
www.science.org
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
julieayre.bsky.social
Julie Ayre @julieayre.bsky.social · Mar 1
Congrats Melody!! Superstar! It's been an absolute pleasure :)
melodytaba.bsky.social
Dr Melody Taba @melodytaba.bsky.social · Feb 28
Finally submitted my PhD after three and half years of study!

I’m currently overwhelmed with feelings but just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey, especially my incredible supervisors A/Prof Carissa Bonner, Dr Julie Ayre & Prof Kirsten McCaffery ❤️
Melody holding copy of thesis outside School of Public Health Melody and supervisors outside School of Public Health
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
who.int
WHO @who.int · Mar 1
🚨 Drastic cuts to global health funding are leaving millions without essential HIV services. Young people, key populations, and marginalized communities are being abandoned. Millions are at risk. Act now, save lives!
Learn more: 🔗 bit.ly/41CDnrD

#ZeroDiscrimination
Drastic cuts to global health funding will leave millions without essential HIV and STI services. Over two decades, huge strides have been made in ending AIDS as a public health threat, saving millions of lives Commit to sustained funding and uninterrupted HIV services. Protect progress, save lives.
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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social · Feb 28
How great to see not 1 but 2 ultra talented PhD students from @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social submit their theses 🥳. Well done @oliviamac17.bsky.social and @melodytaba.bsky.social !!!🙌🙌👏👏👏🙌🙌
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
disavowtrump20.bsky.social
Protect Kamala Harris ✊ @disavowtrump20.bsky.social · Feb 21
🚨NEW: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning to fire Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff C.Q. Brown, a 4-Star General and 41-year veteran of the Air Force who flew over 130 hours in combat as a fighter pilot.

REPOST if you stand with General C.Q. Brown against Hegseth!
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Reposted by Kirsten McCaffery
jolynhersch.bsky.social
Jolyn Hersch PhD @jolynhersch.bsky.social · Feb 21
Decisions to decline breast screening and/or breast cancer treatment based on the potential harms of overdiagnosis and overtreatment: a qualitative study.
@dr-skcj.bsky.social et al: Implications for the way informed choice is considered.
bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/1...

@wiserhealthcare.bsky.social
Decisions to decline breast screening and/or breast cancer treatment based on the potential harms of overdiagnosis and overtreatment: a qualitative study
Objectives To explore the experiences of women who have made the decision to decline breast screening and/or breast cancer treatment for overdiagnosis/overtreatment reasons after being invited to the ...
bmjopen.bmj.com
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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social · Feb 20
@julieleask.bsky.social @beckyfreeman.bsky.social
brendannyhan.bsky.social
Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · Feb 18
I am one of more than 750 political scientists who signed this statement "express[ing] our urgent concern about threats to the basic design of American government and democracy" drive.google.com/file/d/1lGk2...
Political science statement.pdf
drive.google.com
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kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social
Kirsten McCaffery @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social · Feb 19
Read our new article and why we need AI health literacy NOW
julieayre.bsky.social
Julie Ayre @julieayre.bsky.social · Feb 19
Many thanks to @biostatsandcats.bsky.social @kirstenmccaffery.bsky.social @sydneyhealthlitlab.bsky.social !

You can read our article in The Conversation here:
📰 Read more: theconversation.com/more-people-...
More people are asking generative AI questions about their health. But the wrong answer can be risky
Some people ask generative AI health questions that would usually require clinical advice, such as whether to go to hospital for certain symptoms.
theconversation.com
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