Quantitative literacy

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In education and literacy, quantitative literacy (also called numeracy) is "the knowledge and skills required to apply arithmetic operations, either alone or sequentially, using numbers embedded in printed materials; for example, balancing a checkbook, figuring out a tip, completing an order form, or determining the amount of interest from a loan advertisement."[1]

Quantitative literacy is important in politics[2][3] and health care[4][5].

Health care

Health care numeracy is problematic. It is confounded by scientific journals not well presenting quantitative results.[6]

Comparing benefits of two treatments

Various formats have been tested to improve comprehension of quantitative comparisons of treatment benefit by patients[7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and by health care professionals[14][15][13].

Comparing accuracy of diagnostic methods

Various formats have been tested to improve comprehension of quantitative comparisons of diagnostic accuracy.[16][17]

References

  1. ↑ Irwin S. Kirsch, Ann Jungeblut, Lynn Jenkins, and Andrew Kolstad. (1993). Adult Literacy in America: a first look at the findings of the National Adult Literacy Survey, (NCES 93275). U.S. Department of Education.
  2. ↑ Best, Joel (2001). Damned lies and statistics: untangling numbers from the media, politicians, and activists. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21978-3. 
  3. ↑ Best, Joel (2004). More damned lies and statistics: how numbers confuse public issues. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-23830-3. 
  4. ↑ Mark Kutner, Elizabeth Greenberg, Ying Jin, Christine Paulsen. (2006) The Health Literacy of America’s Adults: Results From the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. U.S. Department of Education.
  5. ↑ Schwartz, Lisa A.; Steven Woloshin (2008). Know Your Chances: Understanding Health Statistics. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-25222-5. 
  6. ↑ Nuovo J, Melnikow J, Chang D (June 2002). "Reporting number needed to treat and absolute risk reduction in randomized controlled trials". JAMA 287 (21): 2813–4. PMID 12038920. [e]
  7. ↑ Sheridan SL, Pignone MP, Lewis CL (November 2003). "A randomized comparison of patients' understanding of number needed to treat and other common risk reduction formats". J Gen Intern Med 18 (11): 884–92. PMID 14687273. PMC 1494938. [e]
  8. ↑ Schwartz LM, Woloshin S, Welch HG (2007). "The drug facts box: providing consumers with simple tabular data on drug benefit and harm". Med Decis Making 27 (5): 655–62. DOI:10.1177/0272989X07306786. PMID 17873258. Research Blogging.
  9. ↑ Woloshin S, Schwartz LM, Welch HG (February 2007). "The effectiveness of a primer to help people understand risk: two randomized trials in distinct populations". Ann. Intern. Med. 146 (4): 256–65. PMID 17310049. [e]
  10. ↑ Stovring H, Gyrd-Hansen D, Kristiansen IS, Nexoe J, Nielsen JB (2008). "Communicating effectiveness of intervention for chronic diseases: what single format can replace comprehensive information?". BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 8: 25. DOI:10.1186/1472-6947-8-25. PMID 18565218. PMC 2467410. Research Blogging.
  11. ↑ Dolan JG, Iadarola S (2008). "Risk communication formats for low probability events: an exploratory study of patient preferences". BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 8: 14. DOI:10.1186/1472-6947-8-14. PMID 18402680. PMC 2330036. Research Blogging.
  12. ↑ Schwartz LM, Woloshin S, Black WC, Welch HG (December 1997). "The role of numeracy in understanding the benefit of screening mammography". Ann. Intern. Med. 127 (11): 966–72. PMID 9412301. [e]
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Wen L, Badgett R, Cornell J (October 2005). "Number needed to treat: a descriptor for weighing therapeutic options". Am J Health Syst Pharm 62 (19): 2031–6. DOI:10.2146/ajhp040558. PMID 16174840. Research Blogging.
  14. ↑ Sheridan SL, Pignone M (2002). "Numeracy and the medical student's ability to interpret data". Eff Clin Pract 5 (1): 35–40. PMID 11874195. [e]
  15. ↑ Gigerenzer G, Edwards A (September 2003). "Simple tools for understanding risks: from innumeracy to insight". BMJ 327 (7417): 741–4. DOI:10.1136/bmj.327.7417.741. PMID 14512488. PMC 200816. Research Blogging.
  16. ↑ Puhan MA, Steurer J, Bachmann LM, ter Riet G (2005). "A randomized trial of ways to describe test accuracy: the effect on physicians' post-test probability estimates". Ann. Intern. Med. 143 (3): 184–9. PMID 16061916. [e]
  17. ↑ Poses RM et al. (1995). "You can lead a horse to water--improving physicians' knowledge of probabilities may not affect their decisions". Medical Decision Making 15: 65–75. PMID 7898300. [e]
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