Boing Boing: Cubicle dwellers at greater risk for deep vein thrombosis

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Cubicle dwellers at greater risk for deep vein thrombosis

People whose work requires them to remain seated at computers for long periods of time each day have a greater chance of developing deadly blood clots in their legs than long-distance air travelers, according to a new study on thrombosis. Link.

Reader comment: Matthew Duggan says,

The report referred to in the story *does not* say that cubicle sitters have a greater risk than international flyers, that's rubbish. The brain explosion comes from the fact that while a greater percentage of DVT sufferers are cubicle dwellers than international travellers, that's also clearly true of the population as a whole! When you work out the real "risk" of DVT from each activity, flying is still more dangerous.
This NZ Herald article has an appropriate correction at the bottom: Link.
..but unfortunately it's the only one I've seen so far that actually gets it right!
There's also another problem with that AP report: the study covered 62 people, 1.4% of which had been on long-haul flights. My stats skills aren't top notch, but I'm pretty sure that someone who is only 0.868 of a person has bigger problems than clots.

posted by Xeni Jardin at 09:30:02 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

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