title: Using visual displays to communicate risk of cancer to women from diverse race/ethnic backgrounds.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated how well women from diverse race/ethnic groups were able to take a quantitative cancer risk statistic verbally provided to them and report it in a visual format.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey was administered in English, Spanish or Chinese, to women aged 50-80 (n=1160), recruited from primary care practices. The survey contained breast, colorectal or cervical cancer questions regarding screening and prevention. Women were told cancer-specific lifetime risk then shown a visual display of risk and asked to indicate the specific lifetime risk. Correct indication of risk was the main outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correct responses on icon arrays were 46% for breast, 55% for colon, and 44% for cervical; only 25% correctly responded to a magnifying glass graphic. Compared to Whites, African American and Latina women were significantly less likely to use the icon arrays correctly. Higher education and higher numeracy were associated with correct responses. Lower education was associated with lower numeracy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Race/ethnic differences were associated with women's ability to take a quantitative cancer risk statistic verbally provided to them and report it in a visual format.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systematically considering the complexity of intersecting factors such as race/ethnicity, educational level, poverty, and numeracy in most health communications is needed.
authors.affiliation: Medical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations, UCSF, USA.
authors.forename: Sabrina T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Eliseo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Stable
authors.forename: Sue E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gregorich
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Sawaya
authors.forename: Judith M E
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: A Eugene
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.forename: Celia P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001296:Audiovisual Aids; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology; D012306:Risk; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*