Validating the Medical Data Interpretation Test in a Dutch population.
OBJECTIVE
To validate the Dutch translation of the Medical Data Interpretation Test.


METHODS
A test-retest design with a 2-week interval was used.


RESULTS
The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC=.82), the limits-of-agreement interval (LOA=-8.96 to 2.48) and the test-retest reliability (Pearson's r=86) suggest that the Dutch translation has good reproducibility. Construct validity was tested by two hypotheses, both of which were confirmed. University participants had higher test scores than non-university participants (p=.02), and males did not score differently than females (p=.61).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the Dutch version of the Medical Data Interpretation Test is an adequate scale to assess ability to interpret medical data.


CONCLUSIONS
Assessing patients' numeracy skills before a counseling session will enable the counselor to adjust subsequent communication accordingly and, as such, improve the session's effectiveness.
Smerecnik
Chris M R
CM
Care and Public Health Research Institute (Caphri), Department of Health Education and Health Promotion, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. C.Smerecnik@gvo.unimaas.nl
Mesters
Ilse
I
D000328:Adult; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003657:Decision Making; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014177:Translations