The average mark was 52.5 per cent, almost no difference at all from 1970

Less than 50 per cent of the 700 people surveyed could correctly place the heart and less than one third could manage the lungs, but over 85 per cent knew where the intestines were.

The test consisted of outlines of the human body with several shaded areas.  The participant then had to identify which of the shaded areas was a particular organ.  Half the participants were healthy but the other half had ailments that were specific to an organ they were being asked about, however this did not seem to help with the challenge.  Over half of those with renal problems could not correctly identify the kidneys, however over three quarters of those with liver problems knew where the liver was.

The researchers had hoped to update the results from the same survey carried out in 1970, however the results are almost exactly the same.  “We thought that the improvements in education seen since then, coupled with an increased media focus on medical and health-related topics and growing access to the internet as a source of medical information, might have led to an increase in patients’ anatomical knowledge,” said lead researcher John Weinman.  “As it turns out, there has been no significant improvement in the intervening years.”

The findings raise concern about the nature of doctor-patient communications and possibly, therefore, the quality of care.  Don Redding, head of policy at the Picker Institute Europe, a patient research group, agreed.

“There is a real problem with health literacy - people’s ability to understand and process health information - which this study is indicative of.  It really does matter, particularly as we look ahead to an NHS where resources are ever tighter.  If people are going to use the NHS in an effective way they need to be able to communicate and understand what is said to them - this way we avoid repeat referrals, unnecessary hospitalisations.”