title: Breast cancer counts: numeracy in breast cancer information on the Web.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the numeracy information included in three prominent breast cancer Web sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  A content analysis was performed, grouping numeracy items into 15 categories. Interrater reliability was high.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3,206 items identified, 14.3% were numbers, 33.9% were descriptive measures (e.g., many, lower), 27.3% were statistical terms (e.g., predictive, risk), and 12.4% were temporal terms (e.g., before, always).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that there is an abundance of numeric information presented in breast cancer Web sites, much of which may be conceptually too advanced for the intended audience.
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita, KS 67214-3199, USA. cshmidt@kumc.edu
authors.forename: Carolyn R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Ahlers-Schmidt
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Golbeck
authors.forename: Angelia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Paschal
authors.forename: Rosalee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zackula
authors.forename: Nora T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003626:Data Display; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*