Overdiagnosis leads to misclassification of healthy individuals

In her new book, Suzanne O'Sullivan explores the issues surrounding healthcare and diagnosis in modern society. She notes that even though healthcare spending has increased significantly, overall health statistics remain concerning. Funding for the NHS has increased six times in the last 50 years, but the number of people classified with long-term health conditions has risen by six million since 2010. O'Sullivan argues that this rise in perceived illness results from a culture of "overdiagnosis." Rather than genuinely becoming sicker, she suggests that society is labeling more people as unwell. This trend creates significant costs for both individuals and society. She highlights two main causes of overdiagnosis. The first is "over-detection," where improved diagnostic tools lead to unnecessary treatments. The second is "expanded disease definitions," where more symptoms are classified as signs of specific conditions. This is seen in the growing diagnoses of autism and ADHD, which were previously underdiagnosed but are now often overdiagnosed. O'Sullivan warns that this can cause harm by making people attribute their life problems to a diagnosis when solutions might be found elsewhere. The book also addresses controversial issues like Long Covid, which has seen a rise in public-led diagnoses through social media. Overall, O'Sullivan emphasizes the importance of careful diagnosis, arguing that it is a tool that should be used with caution. Her writing combines insight with compassion, making a persuasive case about the complexities of health and illness today.