Effect of risk communication formats on risk perception depending on numeracy

Objective. To examine the influence of numeracy on interpreting various risk communication formats. Design. A random sample of women (N=266) completed a questionnaire assessing numeracy and risk perception of prenatal test results and results of colon cancer screen-ing tests. The authors examined the relationships between risk level (high v. low) and format of risk presen-tation (ratio, pictogram, or Paling Perspective Scale) and whether these relationships differed based on the numeracy skills of the participant. Results. The authors identified a significant (P<0.001) 3-way interaction between format, risk level, and numeracy: high-numerate participants in the low-risk group perceived the test results as less risky compared with participants in the high-risk group (P< 0.001) with the Paling Perspectiv