The role of numeracy on cancer screening among urban women.
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.
Aggarwal
Arpita
A
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0102, USA. aaggarwal@mcvh.-vcu.edu
Speckman
Jeanne L
JL
Paasche-Orlow
Michael K
MK
Roloff
Kathryn S
KS
Battaglia
Tracy A
TA
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