Freakonomics, M.D.

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Each week, physician, economist, and author of "Random Acts of Medicine" Dr. Bapu Jena will dig into a fascinating study at the intersection of economics and healthcare. He takes on questions like: Why do kids with summer birthdays get the flu more often? Can surviving a hurricane help you live longer? What do heart surgery and grocery-store pricing have in common? read less

Our Editor's Take

The Freakonomics, M.D. podcast explores topics that pertain to both healthcare and economics. Harvard professor and Massachusetts General Hospital physician Dr. Bapu Jena is the host. Dr. Jena studies medical issues with economic impacts and vice versa. The producer, Julie Kanfer, joins certain episodes, as do medical specialists. The problems that interest Dr. Jena usually have three components. They relate to healthcare, involve big data, and have a potential cause.

One issue Dr. Jena studied is the correlation between parenting and divorce. In particular, he wonders how unexpected children, like twins, affect marital stability. He researched divorce rates before assisted reproductive technology was common. Parents using IVF know they might have twins. He wanted to study parents who didn't expect that. The results were surprising. Freakonomics, M.D. podcast listeners hear how the divorce rates differed. They learn a curious finding about twin gender and divorce rates. The study also reveals the average age of twins when their parents get divorced. The answer is different than what logic would suggest.

Freakonomics, M.D. shares other unexpected events that increase the risk of divorce. Many are related to medical or financial reasons. In some cases, even both. Podcast fans discover which events stabilize marriages and which events destabilize them.

In another episode, Dr. Jena studies whether doctors follow their doctor's advice. He recalls a dessert that helped him through medical school and what his physician told him. He questions if doctors who know better behave better. Public health policy focuses on giving patients more info. Dr. Jena lists other things patients need more of. He describes patient behaviors that reduce treatment efficacy despite the latest technology.

Freakonomics, M.D. listeners may appreciate Dr. Jena's honesty. He assesses physicians' declining skills as they age. He reveals which of these things doctors don't manage better than patients-drinking, smoking, exercise, and obesity. Dr. Jena has a rare combination of expertise. He uses it to improve patients' lives, which makes this podcast valuable to everyone. Fans of this series may also enjoy the Freakonomics Radio podcast as well.

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