title: Risk communication and older people-understanding of probability and risk information by medical inpatients aged 75 years and older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine older people's understanding of probability and risk information, and the impact of pictorial representation of risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  A researcher-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 inpatients aged > or =75 years on elderly medicine wards at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Huddersfield, UK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older people understand percentage probability better than fractional probability, and a wide range of incorrect responses indicated significant over- and underestimation of probabilities. Visual data about percentages were well received and understood, and were perceived as a good idea by participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have demonstrated a wide variation in understanding of risk and probability information by older people, with over- and underestimations of probability, along with confusion between fractional and percentage probability. Pictorial representation of probability was well understood. It could be developed as a simple, yet powerful communication tool to be used in daily clinical practice to help older people understand information on risks and benefits when making decisions about treatment choices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Elderly Medicine, Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Acre Street, Lindley, Huddersfield HD3 3EW, UK. ftworf@aol.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dudley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blacktop
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires