title: The role of numeracy on cancer screening among urban women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of numeracy on cancer screening knowledge and practices among an ethnically diverse population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women aged 40+ presenting for primary care at an urban academic medical center were surveyed. Numeracy was measured as a dichotomous outcome (numerate: yes/no) using 3 criteria adapted from a validated instrument. Self-report was used to determine if women were upto-date with breast and colorectal cancer screening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adequate numeracy was associated with increasing age, white race, higher education, and knowledge of breast cancer screening guidelines. No association was found between numeracy and cancer screening practices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adequate numeracy was not a key determinant of cancer screening.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0102, USA. aaggarwal@mcvh.-vcu.edu
authors.forename: Arpita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: Jeanne L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Speckman
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Paasche-Orlow
authors.forename: Kathryn S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Roloff
authors.forename: Tracy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Battaglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014507:Urbanization