While the hospital is a place of science and medicine, this does not keep our human tendency to be superstitious at bay. In today’s episode we will be exploring a few of the most common hospital superstitions, their origins, and if there is any scientific evidence to support them.

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Articles:

ABC: Friday the 13th and Emergency Departments, by Oliva Willis for Sum of All Parts

Fusion Medical Staffing: Top 5 ER Superstitions, by Megan Bebout

Healthline: How Does a Full Moon Affect Our Physical and Mental Well-Being?, by Rebecca Joy Stanborough, MFA

The Washington Post: Friday the 13th: Things You Should Know, by Valerie Strauss

CNN: Why is Friday the 13th Unlucky? The Cultural Origins of An Enduring Superstition, by Christobel Hastings

Academic Articles: 

Wu YW, Lai WS, Chen YC. [Superstitious Beliefs Among Healthcare Providers: A Concept Analysis]. Hu Li Za Zhi. 2023 Jun;70(3):85-93. Chinese. doi: 10.6224/JN.202306_70(3).11. PMID: 37259654.

Johnson G. The Q**** Study – basic randomised evaluation of attendance at a children's emergency department. Emergency Medicine Journal 2010;27:A11.

Zargar M, Khaji A, Kaviani A, Karbakhsh M, Yunesian M, Abdollahi M. The full moon and admission to emergency rooms. Indian J Med Sci. 2004 May;58(5):191-5. PMID: 15166467.

Lo BM, Visintainer CM, Best HA, Beydoun HA. Answering the myth: use of emergency services on Friday the 13th. Am J Emerg Med. 2012 Jul;30(6):886-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2011.06.008. Epub 2011 Aug 19. PMID: 21855260.
Podcast Art By: Irit Mogilevsky