Doctors Debunk Hospital Superstitions with Pineapple and KFC Studies

Doctors, often seen as paragons of science, can also be susceptible to superstitions, especially in the unpredictable environment of a hospital. In Taiwan, medical staff might avoid the word 'pineapple' (fengli) because it sounds like 'prosperous arrival' (wanglai), fearing it might bring a continuous stream of patients. Similarly, in Thailand, KFC is sometimes avoided, with 'KFC' potentially interpreted as 'patient falls' or 'emergency.'

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The studies aim to replace fear with data, encouraging medical staff to rely on scientific evidence rather than unfounded beliefs.

To combat these beliefs, studies have been conducted. In 2012, a paper in "Taiwanese Medicine" investigated the 'pineapple taboo' at Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital. For four years, a volunteer physician ate pineapple every morning during the peak season (April to August) while on call. Statistical analysis of emergency consultations over 1,461 days showed no impact on workload.

More recently, a randomized controlled trial in Thailand, published in the "Annals of Surgery Open," tested the KFC superstition. Surgeons on call ate KFC, "five-star fried chicken," or nothing. The data revealed that fried chicken did not lead to more surgeries or consultations. Crucially, after the study, the participating surgeons' belief that eating KFC would make their shifts busier significantly decreased.

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The studies aim to replace fear with data, encouraging medical staff to rely on scientific evidence rather than unfounded beliefs.

Dr. Chen Chih-Chin of Chi Mei Hospital believes that science's true battle is not just against a pineapple or a bucket of fried chicken, but against the stubborn human tendency to remember negative coincidences. We might recall a busy shift after eating pineapple but forget the many other times nothing happened. He suggests that the best science involves individuals willing to eat the pineapple or fried chicken and honestly record every outcome, allowing data to gradually replace fear.

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The studies aim to replace fear with data, encouraging medical staff to rely on scientific evidence rather than unfounded beliefs.