Communicating Risk Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the goal of communicating risk information in healthcare?
To ensure patients understand both the potential benefits and risks of treatments, facilitating informed shared decision-making.
What percentage of people aged 16-65 are unable to understand health information involving numeracy?
61% of people aged 16-65 struggle to understand health information when numeracy is involved.
What is a common misunderstanding when using words like ‘common’ for side effects?
Laypeople and even doctors often misinterpret terms like ‘common’; actual prevalence might be 1-10%, but people assume it’s more frequent.
What is the difference between relative and absolute risk?
Relative risk compares risk between two groups (e.g., doubling the risk), while absolute risk shows the actual difference in risk (e.g., 3% to 6%).
How can the framing of risk information influence behavior?
Positive or negative framing of the same statistical data can significantly alter patient perception and decision-making.
What are NICE’s key recommendations for communicating numerical risk?
- Use both numbers and visuals. 2. Use natural frequencies (e.g., 1 in 10) instead of percentages. 3. Provide absolute risk. 4. Use both positive and negative framing.
What psychological strategies improve risk communication?
Using visual aids, natural frequencies, absolute risk, and positive/negative framing enhances understanding and retention of risk data.
What is an example of the impact of poor risk communication?
The 1995 contraceptive pill scare doubled thrombosis risk (1 in 7000 to 2 in 7000), leading to increased unwanted pregnancies due to misinterpreted risk.
Why might scare tactics not always be effective in health communication?
Scare tactics can lead to ‘warning fatigue’ or ‘riskfactorphobia’ unless the threat is perceived as controllable and the messaging is targeted.
What is the benefit of using visual formats in risk communication?
Visuals help convey overall patterns effectively, complementing numerical data which is better for detailed understanding.
